INVESTORS in the NFL’s Chicago Bears have purchased a minority shareholding in Black Knight Football Club, which owns Cherries.

Ryan Sports Ventures become the latest limited partners to invest in Cherries following Bill Foley’s takeover, which was completed in December 2022.

The exact amount of shares Ryan Sports will own is unknown, with the group’s minority investment in the Chicago Bears described as “large”.

80.1 per cent of the shares of BKFE are covered Bill Foley’s personal stake (30 per cent) and the shares held by his company (50.1 per cent), with multiple limited partners owning stakes of differing sizes.

In a limited partnership there are multiple investors, but the limited partners are only liable up to the amount of their investment.

Foley serves as managing general partner of the LP, which tasks him with overseeing and running BKFE.

He is also registered as executive of Turquoise Bidco, the company that directly owns Cherries.

The most notable limited partner known to the public is Michael B. Jordan, a Hollywood actor and director.

Ryan Sports managing partner Rob Ryan stated: “At Ryan Sports, we back exceptional people with a proven track record of winning as part of their DNA.

“In investing in Black Knight Football, we are joining like-minded ownership in Bill Foley, who has demonstrated an extremely high level of sustained success in business and sports.

“We also intentionally built the team at Ryan Sports to include not only sophisticated investors but seasoned operators that could actively help grow each of our investments through our experience and collective networks.

“From our first conversation with Bill, he recognized that value and believes that there are opportunities for us to contribute our full portfolio of sports technology and content partners available to not only AFC Bournemouth and FC Lorient but all future clubs under Black Knight Football and Entertainment.”

Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Cherries chairman Foley shared: “I’m really pleased to have a family like the Ryan family commit to us and make an investment, because they’re such great people.

“The whole family, they’re fantastic people. They have a good analytics group, that we want to get involved with. We’re anxious to have them help us get better.

“It’s a modest investment, but they’re going to be involved with Black Knight Football Club, which is fantastic.

“I believe you’re ultimately judged by the people you’re associated with and I love being associated with the Ryan family, they’re really good people.”