Latest news with #Benham
Washington Post
15-04-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Owners of Premier League club Brentford buy Spanish third-tier team Mérida
LONDON — The owner of Premier League club Brentford has completed the acquisition of Spanish third-tier team Mérida. Brentford said Tuesday its holding company, Best Intentions Analytics, has bought all the shares of Merida, which was only founded 12 years ago. The team in the western Spain region of Extremadura is in contention for promotion to the second division. Brentford is owned by Matthew Benham, a former hedge fund manager who developed statistical models for betting on soccer, and has built a reputation as a smartly run, data-driven club that rose into the Premier League in 2021. Benham previously owned Danish club Midtjylland in an early example of multi-club ownership networks that have rapidly expanded in the soccer industry, but he sold his majority share in 2023. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Owners of Premier League club Brentford buy Spanish third-tier team Mérida
LONDON (AP) — The owner of Premier League club Brentford has completed the acquisition of Spanish third-tier team Mérida. Brentford said Tuesday its holding company, Best Intentions Analytics, has bought all the shares of Merida, which was only founded 12 years ago. The team in the western Spain region of Extremadura is in contention for promotion to the second division. Brentford is owned by Matthew Benham, a former hedge fund manager who developed statistical models for betting on soccer, and has built a reputation as a smartly run, data-driven club that rose into the Premier League in 2021. Benham previously owned Danish club Midtjylland in an early example of multi-club ownership networks that have rapidly expanded in the soccer industry, but he sold his majority share in 2023. ___ AP soccer: The Associated Press
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Owners of Premier League club Brentford buy Spanish third-tier team Mérida
LONDON (AP) — The owner of Premier League club Brentford has completed the acquisition of Spanish third-tier team Mérida. Brentford said Tuesday its holding company, Best Intentions Analytics, has bought all the shares of Merida, which was only founded 12 years ago. The team in the western Spain region of Extremadura is in contention for promotion to the second division. Brentford is owned by Matthew Benham, a former hedge fund manager who developed statistical models for betting on soccer, and has built a reputation as a smartly run, data-driven club that rose into the Premier League in 2021. Benham previously owned Danish club Midtjylland in an early example of multi-club ownership networks that have rapidly expanded in the soccer industry, but he sold his majority share in 2023. ___ AP soccer:
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Brentford enter multi-club partnership with Merida AD
Brentford are set to re-establish a multi-club system after the purchase of Spanish third division side Merida has been bought by Brentford's holding company Best Intentions Actions, rather than the club itself or owner Matthew Benham directly, but the west Londoners will be part of a multi-club system again after Danish side Midtjylland were sold in fifth in the third tier and operating in the province of Badajoz in western Spain, will have access to the same innovative analytics systems that helped Brentford punch above their weight since Benham's purchase in Intentions is currently seeking investment and valued at £400million. Sources close to Benham say he prefers a minority partner with expertise in media, advertising and commercial spaces but could be tempted into a full sale should an offer be substantial enough. When Brentford announced their new holding company in March, a statement said it was established to "modernise" the ownership model, "provide greater flexibility" and "better position the club for future growth".
New York Times
15-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Brentford owner Matthew Benham close to agreeing deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD
Brentford owner Matthew Benham is close to agreeing a deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD. Based in western central Spain, near the Portuguese border, Merida AD are currently fifth in the Primera Federacion's group 2 with six games to play, which would qualify them for the playoffs for a spot in LaLiga's Segunda Division. Advertisement Founded in 2013 after two previous Merida-based teams went bankrupt, the club have been owned by British/American businessman Mark Heffernan since 2021 and they play at the Estadio Romano, a 14,600-capacity ground owned by the local council. A former banker turned gambler, Benham is the founder of statistical research firm Smartodds and the owner of betting exchange Matchbook. Now 56, Benham is known for his data-based approach to decision-making and has been funding Brentford, his boyhood club, since 2007, when they were in dire financial straits. The deal for Merida AD is expected to be announced on Tuesday and it will be Brentford's new holding company that will own the club. Under Benham's watch, the west London club have climbed from English football's third tier to the Premier League, which they reached for the first time in their history in 2021. Benham's millions have also helped to build Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, which opened in 2020. Merida AD will not be Benham's first foray into multi-club ownership, as he was also the majority shareholder of Danish side Midtjylland between 2014 and 2023, during which time they won three domestic titles and became known as one of the best academies in Scandinavia. (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
