Mike Ashley set to become richest rugby club owner after shock bid for Premiership club

Tuesday, 11 October 2022 at 05:55

byRugby Rucker

Former Newcastle United and Sportsdirect chief Mike Ashley has held talks with Wasps as he eyes a £50m takeover, with negotiations underway between the parties involved.

According to the Daily Mail, Wasps Holdings have sounded out Ashley about buying the club and the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Ashley, who also previously held a stake in Rangers, has reportedly offered to refinance £35million worth of bonds taken out by the club’s owner, Wasps Holdings, to fund their move to Coventry in 2014.

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EXCL: Ex-Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley held talks with struggling rugby side Wasps as he eyes up £50million takeover deal | @MattHughesDM trib.al/uUQAfU2

8:12 PM · Oct 10, 2022

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Wasps have until Monday to find £2million to avoid a winding-up petition deadline set by HM Revenue and Customs.

Premiership clubs and the RFU met on Monday afternoon to decide whether Wasps would be automatically relegated under regulation 5, should the West Midlands club fall into administration.

It's been reported that Ashley would accept relegation as long as the club retains it's ownership stake of the Premiership.

All 13 Premiership Club Owners Ranked By Their Net Worth

See where Mike Ashley would rank, though four clubs have no clear owner:

The full list is made up of data from talkSPORT, The Mirror and The Sun.

Exeter Chiefs: N/A

Club states that it remains owned by 700 members, the shares held by John Lockyer, Bob Staddon, Paul Derbyshire and Ian Pugsley acting as trustees.

Leicester Tigers owner: N/A

Most recent annual return notes a large number of individual shareholders; club states that no person owns 50% or more of the club shares.

Saracens: N/A

No overall controlling party following the purchase of the club from Nigel Wray.

Northampton Saints owner: N/A

No overall controlling party.

Now, take a look through the gallery to reveal the estimated net worth of the Gallagher Premiership's owners and top shareholders.

9. Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham: net worth - £3 million

8. Newcastle Falcons owner: Semore Kurdi net worth - £20 million

7. Harlequins owner: Duncan Saville net worth - £20 million

Ultimately owned by Union Mutual Pension Fund Ltd, registered in the tax haven of Bermuda. Reported to be owned by financiers Charles Jillings and Duncan Saville

6. Gloucester owner: Martin St Quinton net worth - £20.2 million

Ultimately owned by Martin St Quinton, who made his fortune from selling his company Azzurri Communications.

5. Sale Sharks owner: Simon Orange net worth - £25m

Owned by Simon Orange via a holding company, CorpAcq Ltd. The combined cash at bank value for all businesses where SIMON holds a current appointment equals £20.6m, a combined total current assets value of £99m with a total current liabilities of £119.9m and a total current net worth of £-25m.

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4. London Irish owner: Mick Crossan net worth - £45.5 million

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3. Bath owner: Bruce Craig net worth - £249 million

The accounts state that the ultimate controlling owner is the sole shareholder, Bruce Craig.

2. Bristol Bears owner: Stephen Lansdown net worth - £1.35 billion

Bristol City majority shareholder Steve Lansdown has lost £370m over the last 12 months, likely as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Sunday Times.

Lansdown’s wealth is valued at £1.35bn, down from £1.72bn last year, and the Bristolian billionaire has fallen 22 places in the newspaper’s annual Rich List.

The 67-year-old Guernsey-based businessman is now ranked outside Britain’s 100 wealthiest people, dropping from No83 in 2019 to No105 in 2020.

1. Possible new Wasps owner: Mike Ashley net worth - £2.99 billion

Mike Ashley Chairman of Newcastle United watches Chelsea v Newcastle United from the stands at Stamford Bridge. - Photo mandatory by-line: Dan Weir/Pinnacle - Tel: +44(0)1363 881025 - Mobile:0797 1270 681 - VAT Reg No: 183700120 - 10/01/15 - SPORT - Football - Premier League - Premiership - Chelsea v Newcastle United - Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, London.