£4.5bn deal cited as Dan Friedkin plotting to ‘inject more cash’ into Everton…
Last week, Everton owners The Friedkin Group launched Pursuit Sports, a dedicated multi-club ownership group set up to oversee their sports entities.
Pursuit Sports will be responsible for supporting and running a portfolio which, alongside Everton, also includes Italian giants AS Roma, and French fourth-tier club AS Cannes.
TBR Football finance expert Adam Williams explains what the creation of Pursuit Sports could mean for Everton, who became part of The Friedkin Group late last year.
Aerial view of Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock
Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
US sports team would be source of ‘guaranteed profit’ which could be reinvested into Everton
Williams has described the US sports model as one which renders their franchises “guaranteed profit generators”, whereas the same cannot be said of the European sports model.
Williams also noted how The Friedkin Group hinted at investing further capital into Everton in the coming years, as per a recent letter to shareholders.
Therefore, investing in a US sports team – and the “guaranteed profit” it brings – could create funds to be reinvested into Everton, Roma and Cannes.
“This new company, Pursuit Sports, has been set up as a holding company for The Friedkin Group’s sports assets,” Williams said.
“They own AS Roma and AS Cannes already, as well as Everton. It looks as though Dan Friedkin now wants to add a major US sports team to that portfolio.
“It was reported a few months ago that The Friedkin Group was looking at buying the Boston Celtics. They have since sold for around £4.5bn, which was a world record until recently. That gives you a sense of the scale of the Friedkins’ ambition in sport.
“The business case here is pretty clear. Unlike Everton, who for the foreseeable future are going to be a money pit for the American owners, US sports franchises are guaranteed profit generators.
“There are systems and rules in place that ensure that for every dollar you spend, you make more back. Acquire an NBA or NFL team and that gives you the cash to reinvest in Everton or Roma, who are a long way from being consistently profitable.
“We know they are planning to inject more cash into the club – they strongly hinted that was the plan in a letter to shareholders this week. Issuing shares might be the mechanism they use, but a US sports team could theoretically be the source of the funds themselves.”
Letter to Everton shareholders confirming that the directors of the club will have the right to allocate future shares directly to Roundhouse. This confirms it is the Friedkins intention to invest further capital into the club in the coming years pic.twitter.com/EfJ86eGt9T
— Paul Quinn (the esk) (@theesk) July 23, 2025
View Tweet
READ MORE: Everton alert to £1m Man City red flag as £40m Hill Dickson bonanza beckons, Jack Grealish solution now clear.
Whether Everton could become The Friedkin Group’s Manchester City
Williams stressed that, according to the “party line”, The Friedkin Group are not planning to create a hierarchical multi-club model similar to City Football Group or Red Bull.
However, there is scope for collaboration, along with economies of scale with regards to pooling certain costs and resources, according to Williams.
“Alongside the teams they already own, The Friedkin Group are making investments in technology and other sports-adjacent businesses,” Williams continued.
“There might be a commercial element to this too. They’ve hired David Beeston, whose previous role at FSG was to help engineer sponsorship opportunities across the portfolio. I suspect we may well see a similar centralised approach to commercial income at Pursuit Sports.
“The Friedkins have briefed that this isn’t a multi-club model in the mould of City Football Group or Red Bull.
“Yes, there will be opportunities for collaboration and there are economies of scale in terms of being able to pool certain costs and resources, but it’s not going to be a hierarchical system with one team sitting at the top.
“Or at least, that’s the party line.”
Leave a Reply