Brighton Owner Tony Bloom Invests in Hearts FC

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    EDINBURGH, Scotland — On Wednesday, the billionaire owner of Brighton soccer club, Tony Bloom, made a strategic investment in Heart of Midlothian, a team in the Scottish Premiership. Bloom, who is not only a former professional poker player but also known for his shrewd investments in European soccer, aims to rejuvenate another lesser-known team with this move.

    Bloom has been instrumental in the rise of his hometown club, Brighton, as well as the success of Union Saint-Gilloise, the current Belgian champion. His strategy is heavily reliant on data-driven research and efficient management. He has acquired a 29% stake in Hearts for 9.86 million pounds, approximately $13.4 million, in non-voting shares.

    While this minority stake is significant, it is structured to remain within the limits set by UEFA. These rules are designed to maintain the integrity of European competitions, especially when clubs with shared ownership qualify for the same events. Bloom was previously required by UEFA to adjust his stake and influence at Union in 2023 when both Union and Brighton qualified for the Europa League.

    This season, Union celebrated its first Belgian league title in 90 years and is set to enter the Champions League main stage. On the other hand, Brighton narrowly missed out on UEFA competition qualification, ending eighth in the Premier League.

    As for Hearts, they participated in the third-tier Conference League the previous season but didn’t secure a spot in any European tournament for the upcoming season, having finished seventh in the Scottish league. The Edinburgh-based team last clinched a league title in 1960, and the Scottish league has since been dominated by Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers, who have claimed the last 40 titles between them.

    Tony Bloom expressed his excitement about investing in Hearts, stating, “I am absolutely thrilled to be investing in Hearts. I firmly believe in the club’s ability to disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football which has been in place for far too long.”

    Hearts has been the league runner-up five times since 1960. Their most notable bid was in 1986 when, after leading the standings for a significant period, they ended up losing on the final day due to two late concessions against Dundee, allowing Celtic to overtake them.