‘Peaky Blinders’ referenced in prospective takeover of Birmingham City FC
Peaky Blinders has been referenced in the prospective takeover of Birmingham City Football Club.
American financier Tom Wagner has agreed to buy a 45.64 per cent stake in Championship side. The hedge fund manager is said to have purchased 24 per cent of the shares from the team’s parent company Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited (BSHL).
A further 21.64 per cent of shares will be transferred from Oriental Rainbow Investments and Achiever Global Group.
Wagner’s company Shelby Companies Limited – which is named after the Shelby family in Peaky Blinders – will also take ownership of Birmingham’s St Andrew’s stadium.
The deal is subject to approval by both the English Football League (EFL) and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
In a statement released by Birmingham City, it was confirmed that the club would remain under the control of the current board until the EFL had approved the owners and directors’ tests and contracts had been completed.
Back in February, it was announced that plans for a Peaky Blinders theme park in Birmingham were underway.
According to the Mail Online, tourism chiefs are hoping to further capitalise on the BBC crime series’ association with the UK’s second city by creating a permanent major attraction.
Neil Rami, chief executive of West Midlands Growth Company, told the outlet: “We have witnessed at first hand just how much of a global phenomenon Peaky Blinders has become, putting our region on the map with domestic and international visitors.
“Following the positive impact of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, we are keen to keep the spotlight firmly on the area by exploring the feasibility of something more permanent to capitalise on the positive momentum of the ‘Peaky effect’ with visitors.”
Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham is central to the Peaky Blinders story, with the city and Black Country’s streets relayed to millions of homes in the UK and across the world.
“Beyond Peaky Blinders‘ popularity, the appeal of Birmingham as a prime location for leading national and international filmmakers has grown, with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise recently calling the city home for filming projects.”
Last year, it was reported that the production team behind Peaky Blinders were planning to launch a chain of official themed pubs, bars and barbershops.
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Chris Edwards
NME
