Billionaire American invests in Bedlington Terriers.

[Optimistic Nut]

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/nov/04/billionaire-robert-rich-bedlington-terriers

 

 

Billionaire Robert Rich to plough part of fortune into Bedlington Terriers

• World's 488th richest man buys club £30,000 scoreboard

• Terriers currently seventh in Northern League Division One

 

 

A US billionaire called Robert Rich with a love of the underdog will plough some of his fortune into lowly Bedlington Terriers.

 

The 488th richest man in the world, with an estimated fortune of around $2bn, could have followed the Glazers, Randy Lerner or John W Henry and bought a stake in the global success of 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 tycoon, 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, has put in an undisclosed amount of cash, and gone some way to buck the image of the unpopular transatlantic owner by keeping his feet on the ground with his ambitions.

 

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 homely Welfare Park ground, and is looking to turn the club shirts into a cult item for US sports fans.

 

For the time being, officials at the Northern League club aim to get 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."

 

Life for the Bedlington players is a world away from the Premier League, as 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."

[KaKa]

Good for them.

[madras]

if my workings out are correct they could be playing middlesboro in the league in 3 seasons time.

[Guest Roger Kint]

They are happy now but just wait til it becomes The Rolling Pin Donut @Welfare Park Stadium the bastard

[Doctor Zaius]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo

 

NE63 say NE63! Should've bought Ashington man!

[womblemaster]

I know a terriers ticket holder, am trying to think of best way to wind him up over this!

[Gash]

I know a terriers ticket holder, am trying to think of best way to wind him up over this!

HA You've been bought by a billionaire...

[Optimistic Nut]

Talking about it on SSN now.

[Optimistic Nut]

Apparently Rich's wife bought him a lordship for Christmas, got "Lord Rich of Bedlington".

 

Googled the name, and rang the chairman, and has said he'd invest.

 

 

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

 

That's mental.

[wormy]

The way the article talks about it I thought there was more to it? Like, he actually has some sort of personal link going back in time to Bedlington? Descendants or something?

[Optimistic Nut]

"Premier League in 20 years time".

[ponsaelius]

Great story like.

 

Can't believe he's actually called Mr. Rich 

[Optimistic Nut]

Aye his family are apparently from here. Went to the Bedlington v Dunston match last season as well.

[Optimistic Nut]

Great story like.

 

Can't believe he's actually called Mr. Rich 

 

Imagine the chairman's reaction when he gets a call, "Hello, I'm Lord Rich of Bedlington calling from the USA, fancy an electric scoreboard".

[JCONA]

MR RICH.

 

amazing

[Disco]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo

 

NE63 say NE63! Should've bought Ashington man!

 

same shit different toilet shirley?

[pedro111]

This is quality like, maybe we should tempt him to take over NUFC as well? If his family is from here then shirley he is the Geordie Billionaire we've all been waiting for!?!

[Cronky]

My attitude to these football sugardaddies has changed over the years. Yes, it's fine for Bedlington but what about the other teams in their league who may have earned their position over years of hard work and support? There's nothing fair or sporting about this, and it contributes nothing to the game overall.

[Village Idiot]

Somebody should fabricate a false Geordie ancestry for this dude.

[pedro111]

Somebody should fabricate a false Geordie ancestry for this dude.

 

Bedlington is 4 miles from the Newcastle City boundary. Cant get much more Geordie than that!

[OzzieMandias]

My attitude to these football sugardaddies has changed over the years. Yes, it's fine for Bedlington but what about the other teams in their league who may have earned their position over years of hard work and support? There's nothing fair or sporting about this, and it contributes nothing to the game overall.

 

I can imagine this £30,000 state-of-the-art scoreboard, which seems to be the main thing Rich is providing, as a total white elephant in a couple of seasons' time.

[Hanshithispantz]

Kasper Schmeical will be there in Jan.

[ToonTastic]

My attitude to these football sugardaddies has changed over the years. Yes, it's fine for Bedlington but what about the other teams in their league who may have earned their position over years of hard work and support? There's nothing fair or sporting about this, and it contributes nothing to the game overall.

 

I can imagine this £30,000 state-of-the-art scoreboard, which seems to be the main thing Rich is providing, as a total white elephant in a couple of seasons' time.

 

He has plans to flog there merchandise in America apparently which is set to make them a small fortune.

[OzzieMandias]

My attitude to these football sugardaddies has changed over the years. Yes, it's fine for Bedlington but what about the other teams in their league who may have earned their position over years of hard work and support? There's nothing fair or sporting about this, and it contributes nothing to the game overall.

 

I can imagine this £30,000 state-of-the-art scoreboard, which seems to be the main thing Rich is providing, as a total white elephant in a couple of seasons' time.

 

He has plans to flog there merchandise in America apparently which is set to make them a small fortune.

 

So small you'll need a microscope.