Following the last-minute flapping around Wednesday’s supposed 9pm deadline for those looking to buy Manchester United, one of the latest bidders has revealed themselves with a unique new offer.
Despite it being initially stated that frontrunners Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted their second bids in time for the deadline, miscommunication between United, their brokers and the bidding parties meant that those reports turned out to be premature.
In actuality, both the Qataris and Ratcliffe’s INEOS group had been granted an extension and will now submit their follow-up offers tonight (Thursday, 23 March). However, it was revealed that “approaching eight” other candidates had emerged and one of the newest bidders’ proposals has raised eyebrows.
Thomas Zilliacus is a Finnish entrepreneur who operates as Founder and Chairman of the Mobile FutureWorks investment and novaM social media groups. Now, according to a statement issued by the new United bidder, he wants to make a kind of social media app part of his offer — and that’s not all.
Zilliacus plans to buy all the Glazers shares using XXI Century Capital (an investment firm he owns) and fan funding. Latter expected to come only if he's successful. In other words, XXI Century Capital would make an outright bid then secure fan funding rather than before.
According to CBS Sports‘ Ben Jacobs, although Zilliacus is also yet to submit an official bid — said to have simply written a “letter of intent” to Raine Group, who are handling the deal — he has now publicly expressed his interest in buying the club and detailed how he plans to do it, it seems like a serious offer.
As the 69-year-old goes on to explain in his lengthy press release, he believes that “any sports club ultimately should belong to its fans” and that the current trend of “billionaire sheikhs and oligarchs taking over clubs and controlling them as their personal playgrounds is not a healthy trend”.
While many will no doubt agree with the sentiment, with the UK government themselves having recently announced a new independent regulator will be installed throughout English football, Zilliacus’ solution to not only purchasing the club and putting control back in the hands of the fans is an intriguing one, to say the least.
Stating that his team believes the current value of the club is approximately $3.9 billion (£3.45bn and some way off the Glazers’ £6bn asking price), he poses the suggestion of financing half of the sum by buying the Americans out and, “through a new company being set up for this specific purpose”, fans would then be encouraged to cover the rest by buying the remaining shares for less than $3 each. Yes, really.
Zilliacus, who is a former footballer and ex-chairman of Finland’s 32-time champions HJK, is also open to partnering with another group in the process.
Now, while fans owning and essentially helping run their own club has long been considered an ideal scenario for many supporters groups who have wrestled to keep some control from owners who are only financially invested in the club, the issue of stability and funding always remains an issue.
You only have to look at instances like Derby, Bolton, Bury, Macclesfield and more in recent years to see how precarious the situation can be. However, in cases like AFC Wimbledon, St Mirren and even clubs as big as Bayern Munich, significant ‘part ownership’ can be a recipe for both stability and success.
Zilliacus insists that not only is his “bid is built on equality with the fans”, but they will have a direct impact on how it is run through this novel new app where supporters “from anywhere in the world, can participate and cast their vote when deciding on footballing matters relating to the club.
As he goes on to clarify, “no decisions will be taken that are not supported by a majority of the fan base”. His proposition is, essentially, to put decisions that often do or should get put to a fan vote anyway onto an app to make the communication and cooperation with the club more streamlined.
It almost sounds too good to be true, especially for a sporting franchise of this size and with such a global fan base. Unsurprisingly, plenty have reacted as such, with one account dubbing it “the funniest thing I’ve heard all week” and another simply saying, “Never ever going to happen”.
Jacobs did go on to state that Zilliacus is likely to submit a formal bid to buy the Glazers out of their shares through his XXI Century Capital investment firm (controlled by the Mobile FutureWorks holding company) before potentially inviting fans to help with funding. Either way, it all sounds very unlikely.
On the other hand, many haven’t been as quick to rubbish the concept off-hand and the fact he also happens to be a former footballer, not to mention part of Finland’s six-time ice hockey champions Jokerit ownership, has also been listed as a positive. Similar has been said of Ratcliffe’s Team Sky and OGC Nice ties.
You can read his full statement and details of his proposal down below:
Huge new premium indoor golf venue with ‘cutting-edge’ tech to open at Quayside MediaCity
Emily Sergeant
Time to get practicing your swing, as a huge new premium indoor golf venue is opening up over in Salford this autumn.
Founded by a local PGA Professional and spanning a whopping 4,500 sq ft of state-of-the-art space, TeeClub is set to be a revolutionary new venture where cutting-edge technology meets luxurious comfort at the unique waterside destination.
TeeClub will provide a first-of-its-kind premium environment with seven high-tech Trackman simulators, taking players to more than 450 world-famous courses including St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, and more.
The new venue is also launching a partnership with sports equipment brand TaylorMade, so golf fans can either bring their own clubs to use on the day, or make use of TaylorMade equipment available if needed.
Resident PGA professionals will offer personalised lessons with AI-driven video analysis when the venue opens later this year, while a dedicated club fitter will make sure every swing is matched with the right equipment.
There’ll also be a club shop stocking TaylorMade gear alongside apparel from Manchester-based brand, Concrete Links Co.
The new venue is designed for both individuals and businesses alike, and will offer exclusive memberships and corporate packages, as well as semi-private bays and interactive gaming modes, making it an ideal place for team-building events or relaxed evenings with friends.
A huge new premium indoor golf venue with ‘cutting-edge’ tech is opening at Quayside MediaCity / Credit: Supplied
There’ll also be bar on site serving coffee, pizzas, snacks, wine, and craft beers.
“Our vision for TeeClub is to create an indoor golf experience that combines the authenticity of the sport with modern luxury,” commented Nick Holmes, who is a PGA Professional and the Director of Golf at TeeClub, ahead of the venue opening this autumn.
“Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn, a corporate group hosting an event, or an experienced golfer, TeeClub will provide the tools, technology, and atmosphere.”
TeeClub is set to open at Quayside this autumn, but an official launch date is yet to be confirmed, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Supplied
Sport
Rugby Football League to merge second and third divisions from next year
Danny Jones
The Rugby Football League (RFL) has officially announced that it will be combining the Championship and League One divisions next year as part of a larger restructuring.
Besides the push for phasing out automatic promotion and relegation with the top flight, these will be among the biggest changes in the RFL since the creation of the Super League.
Revealing their plans earlier this week, the rugby authority confirmed that the second and third-tier divisions will be merging, with the changes set to be implemented from 2026 onwards.
You can see the statement in full down below, which has been met with a mix of
Confirmed in a lengthier statement online this past Wednesday, 27 August, the update reads: “The RFL Board have confirmed that the Betfred Championship and League One competitions will be combined in a single division outside the Betfred Super League (BSL) in 2026.
“This follows the decision to expand Super League from 12 clubs to 14, subject to conditions – which was taken by the existing Super League clubs last month.
“A number of fixture formats are being developed following consultation with the Championship and League One clubs, but there will be no final announcement until after the number and identity of clubs in each of the two expanded competitions is confirmed, on Thursday, October 16.
“However, the reversion to a single division outside Super League means the Middle Eights that had been scheduled for the end of the 2025 season, as a means of determining promotion and relegation between Championship and League One, will no longer take place.”
It’s also worth noting that these changes will also see the proposed Super 8s end-of-season fixtures scrapped, as the 12 teams set to compete in the playoff-style tournament are obviously now being combined into one league moving forward.
The Super 8s competition that would involve the top four League One clubs and the bottom four Championship clubs has been abandoned by the Rugby Football League.
It is highly expected that the Championship and League One will merge into one big division of 21 teams next season… pic.twitter.com/WDkshjYTS2
As detailed in the latest communication from the RFL, the League One champions’ prize of £25,000, as well as the usual trophy and medals promised at the start of the season, are still up for grabs; the Championship Play-Offs will still also take place as scheduled.
The winners of the Betfred Championship Grand Final are to receive £100k and 0.25 club grading points.
Commenting on the impending overhaul, Rugby League Commercial Chair Nigel Wood OBE – who headed up the latest strategic review – said: “Following the decision of the Betfred Super League clubs that the elite competition should expand to 14 clubs in 2026, subject to conditions, this is a logical and equally exciting next step.
“The Championship and L1 clubs have been extensively consulted and were virtually unanimous that the two divisional structure for the part-time game wasn’t working as well as it ought, particularly League One – and it is a great credit to the Championship clubs that they recognised that position.”
Reiterating the belief that this is the best way to support and promote “historic and ambitious clubs” outside of the BSL, helping boost attendances, finances and hopefully future investment. It remains a touchy subject for some, though.
The RFL merging divisions may not yet even matter for some.
Speaking of clubs looking for further backing, questions remain over the vetting process for investors and the ‘fit and proper persons tests’ in both rugby and football, especially with the ongoing crisis at Salford Red Devils.
With all that being said, while everyone will have the chance to win the new Championship and perhaps Super League promotion, the likes of Salford are just trying to stay afloat.
Regardless, what do you make of the RFL merging the Championship and League, and do you think it’s the right step for the future of rugby league?