Leading sports lawyers advise on acquisition of Belgian football club

23rd May 2018

Walker Morris Sports Team advises on acquisition of Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

Specialist sports lawyers at Walker Morris have advised Tony Bloom, owner of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, on his acquisition of Belgian football Club, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (RUSG).

The Brussels-based club currently plays in the second division in Belgium and has a long, successful history. The club won eleven Belgian championships between 1904 and 1935, making it the most successful Belgian club before World War II.

Terms have been agreed with current German owner Jurgen Baatzsch. Baatzsch is set to remain as President.

The agreement is totally independent of Albion and an extension of Bloom’s personal portfolio of investments.

The deal reaffirms the Walker Morris sports law team’s national reputation as one of the leading national sports law teams. It is the latest in a run of successful football club acquisitions/sales for the Team over the last 12 months including: advising Renhe Sports Management Co Limited on its acquisition of 75% of Reading FC; advised Eleonora Sport Limited on the sale of Leeds United FC to Greenfield Investment Pte Ltd; advising NF Football Investments Limited on its acquisition of Nottingham Forest Football Club and advising Nigel Travis and his company Eagle Investments 2017 Limited on the acquisition of Leyton Orient FC.

David Hinchliffe, Head of the Sports Team at Walker Morris, said:

“We’re delighted for Tony Bloom and RUSG. During his tenure as owner at Brighton & Hove Albion the Club has enjoyed great success, gaining promotion to the Premiership after 34 years out of the top flight of English football. I’m sure the fans, players and everyone involved with the Club at RUSG will be hoping the same success can be replicated there.”

Last week Walker Morris announced that one of its specialist football lawyers, Alistair McHenry, has contributed to a new book entitled, ‘Football and the Law’. The publication, which has been launched this week, provides the first comprehensive review of the law relating to all aspects of football, including the main regulatory and commercial aspects of the sport. Read more here:

https://www.walkermorris.co.uk/news/new-title-football-and-the-law-launched-this-month/