President Ranier Bezzina described the Hibernians’ decision to welcome on board the US company Sunday Ventures as a majority stakeholder of the Premier League team as a natural step forward to put the club on stronger foundations and be able to vie for bigger objectives in the near future.
Last week, Hibernians FC announced that US firm Sunday Ventures, which owns Italian Serie B club Cesena, is to acquire a majority stake in Hibernians FC following a unanimous vote by club members during the Annual General Meeting.
The vote will see Hibernians turned into a Sport Limited Liability Company, with Sunday Ventures as its majority shareholder.
Sunday Ventures, led by chairman Mike Melby, will take control of the historic Maltese football club while Bezzina will have a significant minority shareholding.
The remaining 10 per cent of the club will be owned by the Members’ Foundation as requested by law.
“We have been approached by different investors several times in the last 15 years,” Bezzina said.
“However, the fact that the government has introduced the Sports Private Limited Liability Companies legislation has made it easier for such people to invest here.
“Three years ago, a foreign company that was based in Malta had offered to buy the club, and they planned to change all the club’s set-up that it took us years to build, and bring their own people, and it didn’t feel right.
“This summer, there was an American company that was ready to open talks with us. They approached the Malta Premier League and asked for the list of clubs that formed part of it, and we were one of four clubs shortlisted.”
Bezzina said that during the talks, one thing he liked most about the American investors was that they shared the same style of management at Hibernians FC.
“Last July, these American investors came to Malta, saw our facilities and also noticed our style of management,” Bezzina said.
“They understood that our club is not just a hobby. They saw the history of our club and that despite the limited budget we work on, we still managed to win trophies consistently during the past five years.
“One thing we have in common is that these American investors, like us, spend money diligently, and they have the youth sector at heart, and that was something that my father emphasised on, and he wanted us to continue to work on.
“This agreement offers new opportunities to young, promising players at our club so that they can experience trials or even earn contracts with foreign clubs who are part of their network.”
Sunday Ventures (SV) is an American sports-focused holding company with majority ownership of Italian Serie B side Cesena and involvement in the privatisation of Brazilian Serie B club Avaí FC (Brazilian Serie B) – the club that produced global stars including Barcelona’s Raphinha and Arsenal’s Gabriel.
Bezzina revealed that Hibernians are hopeful this partnership will help the club attract overseas players of a higher calibre than the ones they are used to bringing in every year.
“This company has a multi-ownership of clubs that includes Cesena, in Italy, a club in America, and is in talks to have a major stake in three other clubs apart from Hibernians FC, so their set-up is very enticing for us,” Bezzina said.
“This is an opportunity for us, given that they already have clubs of a higher level than Malta affiliated with them, they can bring to our clubs better foreign players to our club.
“Say Cesena, have a player who is struggling to make it in the first team, they may well send him on loan to our club for one or two seasons. Such opportunities will help us to have a nucleus of foreign players of a higher standard than in previous years.”
Bezzina said he was particularly impressed with Sunday Ventures chairman Mike Melby.
“I was particularly impressed by how Mike Melby has conducted himself with us so far,” Bezzina said.
“He is a very down-to-earth person who believes a lot in the structure we have at our club. Mike has the football aspect of this deal at heart more than the commercial aspect of it, and I am sure there is a base for a long and prosperous relationship.
“At the moment, we are looking to build a competitive squad for the new season, and our team manager, Jesmond Abela, is in continuous communication with the Sunday Ventures’ football consultant, Emiliano Salvarezza. They are looking at various profiles of players and deciding who will form part of our squad, obviously with the approval of our new coach, Tugberk Tanrivermis.”
Bezzina revealed that Andrei Agius will continue in his role as Head of the Academy and will be acting as assistant coach with the first team.
Bezzina confirmed that he has kept a significant minority share himself personally besides the 10% share belonging to the foundation members and admits that Hibernians FC is an integral part of his life, having started to get involved in the club as a 14-year-old alongside his father, Tony Bezzina.
He has no words to show his gratitude for his hard-working close associates, team manager Jesmond Abela and club secretary Stephen Abela, who have been consistently working at the club for over 30 years.
“I was very close to my father since I was very young and we used to spend the majority of the day working to improve Hibernians FC,” Bezzina said.
“Inevitably, my interest in the team continued to grow, and he started to involve me a lot in the club dealings and used to take care of players’ negotiations and contracts. He had great faith in me, and he always had the last word on important decisions.
“When he got sick, I took full control but still told him everything that was happening as I knew that the club was his baby.
“When he passed away, it was a big loss for me, but I still feel that he is with me every day, and I am driven to continue his legacy for many years to come, and this venture will help me put the club on stronger foundations.”
Bezzina makes it clear that this venture has one major objective – to take Hibernians to unprecedented heights.
“The main objective of this venture is to make Hibernians a major force in Maltese football,” Bezzina said.
“Our goal in the first season is not to win the league title but to be among the challengers and, more importantly, secure a return to European football.
“What Ħamrun Spartans achieved in Europe last season was impressive, and our goal is to try and help Hibernians achieve such a feat and qualify for the League Phase of a UEFA club competition.
“I believe that with these investors working with us, we can achieve unprecedented achievements.”
Hibernians also have a women’s team that enjoyed a lot of success over the years and Bezzina said that he is determined to bolster their squad.
“The women’s team may not be on the agenda of American investors but there could still be opportunities to bring foreign players through their network.
“I am planning to use more of my energy to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season and so far we have already brought in a new overseas players and we are in talks of signing two more.
“Added to that, I would like to sign another two Maltese players as I want our women’s team to be more competitive next season.”
