Sport Republic buy second club with Turkish Göztepe added to Saints ownership

August 23 - Sport Republic, the London-based investment firm that majority owns Premier League side Southampton, has agreed to buy a 70% stake in Turkish second-tier club Göztepe S.K.

This agreement is the second acquisition of a club by Sport Republic and the first sale of a Turkish club to foreign investors.

Rasmus Ankersen, CEO of Sport Republic, will be the new president of Göztepe which plays in TFF 1. Lig and after two matches of the new season, he will be third in the table with four points.

“Göztepe S.K. has a lot of growth potential. It has a unique and very large audience as well as high-quality infrastructure, especially a new and beautiful stadium located in Izmir. locals on its doorstep, we believe the club offers an opportunity to build a strong pipeline of local talent,” Ankersen said.

In January, Sport Republic acquired Chinese investor Jisheng Gao's 80% stake in Southampton; Katharina Liebherr retained her 20% stake.

Sport Republic reportedly paid £100million for Saints shares in a deal that valued the club at around £250million, taking into account the £90million debt that s was accumulated during the ownership of Gao.

No value was given for Göztepe S.K., although it would be far from what was paid for the Saints. As part of the Göztepe deal, shareholder Mehmet Sepil remained on the board and, along with a number of existing shareholders, together retain a 30% stake in the club.

“One of our main demands was that Mehmet remain a shareholder because he knows the club and Turkish football in general inside out. We look forward to our partnership with Mehmet,” said Henrik Kraft, President of Sport Republic.< /p>

Turkish club football is in dire financial straits, with the Turkish SuperLig having just had to agree to a painfully reduced broadcasting deal - up to 50% - compared to its previous deal with beIN Sport/Digiturk.

The main Turkish clubs have an accumulated debt of more than 750 million dollars.

All of this makes an investment in a second-tier club attractive and seemingly risk-laden.

"Being the first foreign investors in Turkish football comes with additional responsibilities and attention. We know it will not be without challenges, but we are committed to our long-term vision of realizing the potential of Göztepe. Passion for football in Turkey is really special and we hope that our methodology and ideas can help further develop Göztepe,” Ankersen said.

desperate need for a strong broadcast deal. The top four clubs have all restructured their debt with banks, while the combined total of club debt stands at over $750m.

Where Sport Republic will seek financial gain is in developing and selling players.

"With Sport Republic's experience and global presence, Göztepe will be more than a showcase team competing at the highest level. It will be a team that develops young talent, competes with local talent playing side by coast with international players and becomes a channel for Turkish players for their international careers,” Sepil said.

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