Brighton & Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom is set to acquire a 29% stake in Heart of Midlothian after receiving overwhelming backing from the club’s supporters.
The Foundation of Hearts, which holds the majority shareholding in the Edinburgh club, conducted a vote among its members regarding Bloom’s proposed £9.86 million investment. Out of 6,208 votes cast, 6,112 were in favour, representing a 98.5% approval rate.
The investment involves the issuance of non-voting shares, ensuring that the Foundation retains its controlling interest. Bloom will be entitled to a seat on the club’s board, though he is expected to appoint a representative to occupy the position.
The proposal now awaits formal approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting and ratification by the Scottish Football Association.
PULL QUOTE: Clearly it is a huge majority in favour and this demonstrates – once again – the passion the foundation members have for the club and their determination to see it move forward and reap the benefits of the financial investment,” the group said in a statement.
Bloom’s decision to invest was influenced by Hearts’ fan ownership model and financial stability. The club already collaborates with Bloom’s analytics firm, Jamestown Analytics, for recruitment strategies.
Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon stated, “Tony Bloom’s decision to invest in Hearts was very much founded on the many benefits he saw at Tynecastle through the club being in fan ownership, not least its financial security through the level of our pledging.”
Newly appointed head coach Derek McInnes has expressed enthusiasm about the potential impact of Bloom’s involvement, particularly in leveraging data analytics for recruitment and performance enhancement.Bloom also holds minority stakes in Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and Australian side Melbourne Victory.
