omariqy Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 This is what someone said to me quite a few weeks ago on the potential owner. Judging from their portfolio of previous ownership, I would imagine that they will want the club to be sustainable. I doubt a big cash injection. More akin to RL in the early days, but that's just my speculation What I found on Robert Rich When it comes to sports teams, he is the owner of the Buffalo Bisons minor league baseball team, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Jamestown Jammers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Trees - so Teterboro airport is outside Manhattan, NY. Buffalo is 6.5 hours from there. Would it be similar to how the plane got here - via luton? So going back he'd stop at Teterboro, refill or whatever and then just get back to Buffalo? It could be a coincidence, I mean as much as there are links between the owner of the jet, there have been some major acts in the UK over the last few days, even the WWE has been here. Maybe he's a fan - or it could be his wife - it could be anything! But when you look for links, you can often link anything to anything via tedious links. Are the lawyers still in the country? Can you see passengers on flights? Why don't you purchase a GPS tracker and attach it to the car the passengers got into!? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Why fly all the way to the UK to watch WWE? You can watch it every week in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) I don't know if The Trees can find out which individual passengers are aboard the law firm's jet but if it is linked to us then I'd guess that this guy will be one of them: Peter C. Alkalay Partner — New York, NY T: (212) 448-6201 F: (212) 448-0066 palkalay@mclaughlinstern.com vCard print Biography Peter C. Alkalay was born in New York City and received his B.A. degree from Princeton University in 1968 and his J.D. from Columbia University in 1973, where he was Chief Judge of the law school’s Moot Court Program. Mr. Alkalay concentrates his practice in the area of matrimonial law, but also practices in the areas of sports law and general commercial litigation. His matrimonial practice covers all New York counties, and he has not only represented parties to a divorce, but has also acted as a Law Guardian to minor children involved in custody issues. Mr. Alkalay offers mediation services in all areas of Family Law, and has participated in Collaboration Law to facilitate matrimonial settlements. He has also been involved in several high-profile matrimonial matters involving high net worth individuals. For a number of years he has also been the principal outside counsel to various amateur sports organizations charged with fielding the competitive teams for participation in the Olympics and the Pan American Games. These organizations include USA Track and Field, the United States Soccer Federation and the American Horse Show Association. In this connection, Mr. Alkalay has dealt with strategic issues involving endorsements, arbitrations relating to performance-enhancing substances and other eligibility issues. He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court in this connection. He has been called upon by foreign sports organizations in European countries to consult on the formation and governing documents and rules for their amateur sports bodies. He also served as the chair of the Arbitration Tribunal of the International Amateur Athletics Federation, the world governing body for track and field. Most recently, he was named as an arbitrator of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has global jurisdiction over many sport disputes. Mr. Alkalay has lectured widely and chaired symposiums addressing the United States’ participation in the Olympic and amateur sports movements. In addition, he headed a firm group which represented clients in the purchase of a well-known Major League Baseball franchise. Mr. Alkalay’s other litigation experience includes major trials in the federal and state courts. Among the cases in which he has been involved are a major government antitrust litigation against one of the country’s largest corporate entities, and lender liability cases. Mr. Alkalay is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and is involved with a number of cultural and charitable institutions. http://www.mclaughlinstern.com/attorneys/partners/alkalay-peter-c/ Edited May 20, 2014 by Isa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 This is some deep sleuthing we're getting into here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted May 20, 2014 Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2014 I'm as confident as confident can be that if Red Bull were to take over a Premier League team they wouldn't try to change the name, the kit or the badge. I wrote a lengthy post a few months ago when they were first linked, but I'll put a summary together here - The other clubs they own are in lesser leagues, and have no identity as such. New York needed a team, Salzburg and Leipzig were in trouble. If they buy a Premier League team there will already be history and identity that Red Bull would want to leverage. Why? Look at the other three teams - who would care about what, in particular, Salzburg and Leipzig were up to? Would you know who their owners are if it weren't for a name and kit change? The leagues they are in get very little publicity so it'd require a different approach. If they buy Aston Villa then their actions will get them the publicity they'd want. Every football fan in the world knows that Manchester City are bank rolled by Abu Dhabi. It gets mentioned every time they sign a superstar, or win a trophy. Manchester City is a marketing vehicle for Abu Dhabi (last thing I heard 90% of the brand recognition for Abu Dhabi comes through City). They didn't need to change the name to Abu Dhabi FC - the Premier League gives them a platform so they can avoid it. This would be the same with Red Bull - if a team they bought won the Premier League, or signed Sergio Aguero, it would get headlines and they'd get the linked publicity. They wouldn't need to rely on "West Brom 2 Red Bull Villa 2" in the classifieds to get them air time. This isn't anything ITK about a deal, or about what they would do - it's just my opinion, informed by 15 years of working in the sports industry. I posted this with regard to Red Bull, and the value Abu Dhabi have seen in owning Manchester City. Given that we've had a former European employee of Rich Products Corporation posting here that sales outside the US are a fraction of those within the home country, you could see how Villa could be a fantastic brand vehicle for any company who wanted to further their reputation (and grow sales) in the UK and Europe. I've highlighted the pertinent bits in bold. If Rich Products think that the US market is pretty much saturated then they need to look elsewhere for growth. Having their name on the jersey of a (hopefully successful) club owned by their founder's son would be a good platform to build from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 As someone said earlier, what we really need to find, is a link between Rich Products and this law firm! Did a bit of sleuthing, and turned up someone called Dona L. Hall, who's involved with both Rich Products and McLaughlin & Stern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The guy is 73.. I wonder why he'd be fussed about expansion? Legacy perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The guy is 73.. I wonder why he'd be fussed about expansion? Legacy perhaps? When rich people buy things that cost big money, it's usually for tax reasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 As someone said earlier, what we really need to find, is a link between Rich Products and this law firm! Did a bit of sleuthing, and turned up someone called Dona L. Hall, who's involved with both Rich Products and McLaughlin & Stern She has a linkedin page - I should message her and ask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 But the craft has been to the UK before just because it was in Birmingham yesterday doesn't mean to say he's going to be buying the Villa. He might have ties to the Lerner family but then again so do a lot of these American Billionaires as has been shown one way or another during the course of this thread. It's just the pulling together of many pieces of information. Bob Rich has been on a board for 10 years with Randy Lerner's mom, and before that, his dad. He is based in NY and owns the Buffalo Bisons (which fits with Kwan saying the interested party owns an American sports team). The large law firm that arrived are also from NY.Though Bob Rich has a business in Kidderminster, it's thought that he wouldn't personally come here to visit that relatively small business. Though he's been to the country many times before, his plane has not come to Birmingham. Though he could simply be coming here to expand his business further, he could also view Villa as a way of expanding his business further. As someone said earlier, what we really need to find, is a link between Rich Products and this law firm! I've met him when he previously visited so that's not true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The only connection is that she has worked for both companies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) I have no idea what is happening, but I am loving the way you guys are throwing yourselves into the detective work. It makes very enjoyable reading. Edited May 20, 2014 by AntrimBlack 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggsy Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Im not saying a deal is close but i definitely think somethings in the pipeline When Pat Murphy asks the question 'did you ask Randy Lerner in New York if a deal was imminent' Lambert acts all coy and doesnt really answer the question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Not unless he's looking to expand his business in Kidderminster I said that Though he could simply be coming here to expand his business further Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 McLaughlin & Sterns website is shit. I'd want a bit more flash if I were spending £200 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 As someone said earlier, what we really need to find, is a link between Rich Products and this law firm! Did a bit of sleuthing, and turned up someone called Dona L. Hall, who's involved with both Rich Products and McLaughlin & Stern Checking the link, it doesn't seem to be the same McLaughlin. The McLaughlin group that she worked for is a media programme dedicated to politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaForever1970 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Im not saying a deal is close but i definitely think somethings in the pipeline When Pat Murphy asks the question 'did you ask Randy Lerner in New York if a deal was imminent' Lambert acts all coy and doesnt really answer the question He says nothing is imminent, how long he pauses or doesnt before saying it really means naff all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 McLaughlin & Sterns website is shit. I'd want a bit more flash if I were spending £200 million. Speaking as one myself, lawyers' websites are generally not much cop. By and large they are directed more towards impressing the competition than being useful to the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Apparently its not us he's after its Bedlington Terriers who he currently sponsors http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/nov/04/billionaire-robert-rich-bedlington-terriers First it was the Glazers and Manchester United. Then Randy Lerner followed suit at Aston Villa. Liverpool are on to their second set of American investors. Now the 488th richest man in the world, the US billionaire Robert Rich, has followed suit – by ploughing some of his fortune into lowly Bedlington Terriers. With an estimated fortune of around $2bn, Rich has the wealth to have followed the recent trend of transatlantic investment in the Premier League. But instead, the chairman of the Rich Products Corporation (which specialises in "baked goods, desserts, barbecued meats, and Italian cuisine"), chose the Northumberland side currently seventh in the ninth tier of English football. The 69-year-old, whose sporting background involves trials for the US Olympic ice hockey team in 1964, got involved after tracing his family back to the area. His wife bought him the title Lord of Bedlington and on further investigation he became interested in the Terriers. The American has become a shirt sponsor and has put in an undisclosed amount of cash. He told the Journal: "I haven't made any promises. Having said that, I would love to see them do well and let them challenge me to increase our participation. "I want to help Bedlington Terriers. I'm still learning about British football, and I understand that if they do well on the field it can move up in divisions. If this is the dream the community has, I want to help. I don't want to become an owner – I just want to help." He will ship a £30,000 electronic scoreboard to the Welfare Park ground, and is looking to turn the club shirts into a cult item for US sports fans. Rather than world domination, the Northern League club has modest aims, namely promotion to the same level as local rivals Blyth Spartans, four tiers above them. "In my dream of dreams I would like to see Bedlington step on to the pitch as a League Two side," said the club secretary David Callop. "Who knows whether that might happen? But we are not splashing the cash on players now, we are slowly improving our ground." He added: "Mr Rich could have bought Man U or Liverpool, I would imagine. He would sooner help the underdog." Bedlington's players all have full-time jobs and are only paid expenses. Rich's current level of backing – which includes promoting the club's shirts to his 80,000 employees – will not see the side go full-time. Callop said: "The backing has relieved us of the immediate worries of scraping by. Even at our level, clubs can take some running. For a night match when we might only have 60 or so paying punters, we have to pay £50 for the floodlights and £200 for the officials." The link-up with Rich, who owns three baseball teams – the Buffalo Bisons, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Jamestown Jammers – came out of the blue. "It's true to say our chairman thought it was a wind-up when the first phone call came through," Callop said. "When we were told about it I was over the moon, but very sceptical at the same time. "But this is real and he wants to help us achieve the chairman's targets, which are to get the club up." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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