Thanks to a multi-million pound investment from US-based private equity group Bright Path Sports Partners, Ipswich is currently third in the Championship.
Ipswich Town, the challenger for promotion to Leeds United, has revealed a “significant investment” of up to £105 million from Bright Path Sports Partners, a private equity business located in the United States. With this agreement, BPSP will acquire a forty percent share in Ipswich, who are one point behind leaders Leeds in the standings and now sit third.
With a 50% ownership, ORG, the company that manages assets for PSPRS (the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System), continues to be the majority and controlling shareholder. Ipswich’s current CEO, Mark Ashton, will continue to oversee day-to-day operations, with new investors Bright Path Sports “providing capital and strategic thinking which will be of significant benefit”.
On the team website, Ed Schwartz, co-founder and principal of ORG, stated: “We bought Ipswich Town in 2021 with the intention of taking the team back to the Championship and making it competitive at this level, but we always planned to bring a partner on board when the time was right.
“We believe that the time is right, and we are thrilled to welcome Bright Path Sports, given the club’s success. We are thrilled that Mark Ashton has extended his commitment to the club, and we look forward to Bright Path contributing significantly to Ipswich Town in the years to come, in addition to his ongoing day-to-day leadership.” Ashton is confident the investment from BPSP can help Ipswich push on with their aim of returning to the Premier League.
“This is a day that further secures the long-term future of the football club and gives us the means to move the club forward as we benefit from the wide range of skills and experiences Bright Path’s investors will bring,” Ashton stated.
“The investment will continue to support the club in both the medium and long term, with the biggest immediate use being to support a number of key infrastructure projects, including the significant redevelopment of the training ground at Playford Road.”
