After being put into administration last week, Sheffield Wednesday have reportedly received first contacts from American billionaire John McEvoy.
Despite all the consequences that come with being put into administration, including a 12-point deduction, the mood has been relatively positive around Sheffield Wednesday. The era of Dejphon Chansiri has finally come to an end and fans flocked to the club shop in support of their side when the news emerged.
The future is finally looking up even if it does immediately start in League One next season and a number of potential owners have already emerged.
Kris Wigfield, joint administrator with insolvency firm Begbies Traynor provided an update about the Owls’ takeover on BBC Five Live’s Wake Up to Money programme.
“As always, you get a lot of interested parties that probably aren’t going to meet the criteria, but within the numerous inquiries we’ve had, we certainly think that there are already four or five interested parties that look like the real deal.
“There are two criteria that new owners basically need to satisfy to then open dialogue and there to be an opportunity where they can make an offer.
“The first thing is they need to show the administrators that they could make the football club viable. So they’ve got to show that they’ve got sufficient funds to be able to fund it for the next few years.”
Among those in the running to buy the club is McEvoy. According to The Telegraph, the American billionaire has asked questions about the club and is one of the early candidates that could yet complete a takeover.
Whilst everything is still at a very early stage, McEvoy is someone to keep an eye on. The interested candidate has made investments in baseball, ice-hockey and music in an impressive portfolio. Now, he could be on his way to Hillsborough.
Who is Sheffield Wednesday candidate John McEvoy?
So, who is McEvoy? Most will know him for his minority stakes in NHL side Nashville Predators and MLB side Colorado Rockies, but any music fans will also be well aware of Various Artists – a talent agency which manages the likes of Mel C and Tom Grennan.
Interestingly enough, that same talent agency manages Reverend and the Makers, who are fronted by famous Sheffield Wednesday fan John McClure – someone that McEvoy has reportedly already spoken to about buying the club.
This is also not the first time that the American has shown an interest in English football. In 2022, reports claimed that he was considering a bid for Coventry City and even attended a game before a takeover failed to materialise.
McEvoy made a large share of his billions from founding a San Diego-based mobile device distribution company and could now use those billions to welcome Sheffield Wednesday into a new era.
On paper, he ticks the box for experience in the world of sports investment and the credentials to avoid the same problems that Chansiri handed the Owls.
John Textor makes contact with Sheffield Wednesday