A record Championship points tally is firmly in sight as Enzo Maresca attempts to steer The Foxes back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Promotion is vital for relegated clubs, particularly with parachute payments decreasing incrementally each year; Leicester look set to avoid the issue.
General view of the King Power Stadium before the match
With the Championship housing some huge clubs, owners have to fork out significant money to simply maintain the status quo. The Srivaddhanaprabha family’s running of Leicester has the club in a good place, but how exactly does their wealth stand up to some of the second-tier’s most wealthy?
How wealthy are the Srivaddhanaprabha family?
After the tragic helicopter crash that took the life of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in 2018, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (Vichai’s son) has taken over control of King Power.
Aiyawatt is now CEO of his father’s company – Thailand’s leading operator of airport duty-free stores – and shares the company’s wealth with his mother and siblings.
According to Forbes, King Power’s fortune sits around £2.7billion, which makes Srivaddhanaprabha the eighth wealthiest man in Thailand.
The Foxes have certainly benefitted from the CEO’s success, with Srivaddhanaprabha converting £194million of loans into equity in February 2023.
Perhaps a surprising inclusion but a family that blows Srivaddhanaprabha out of the water is the Coates family at Stoke City.
According to The Sunday Times Rich List, Denise, John and Peter Coates are worth an astounding £8.75billion, a figure that puts the family 16th.
It’s surprising to see Stoke struggle year after year considering the finances behind the scenes. Several managers have tried and failed, with mid-table finishes becoming the norm.
Championship owners confirmed net worth as of 2023
Net worth
Stoke
£8.75bn as per Sunday Times
Leeds United
£4.5bn, as per Forbes
Leicester City
£2.7bn, as per Forbes
With Alex Neil and Steven Schumacher both leaving clubs and making the move to Staffordshire, it’s fair to say both would have been given a healthy pay rise to take the reins.
Another club capable of rivalling Leicester’s owners is the 49ers Enterprises at Leeds United. After a long-winded takeover, the sports empire have taken a majority stake, bringing Andrea Radrizzani’s tenure to a close.
The 49ers, a group of US-based investors, are among the most wealthy sports empires on the planet, with Forbes placing them 11th with a value of £4.5billion in 2023.
Ipswich Town’s £10billion funding
Remarkably, Gamechanger 20 Ltd – Town’s current ownership – reportedly have a net worth of over £10billion. Ipswich’s owners are 90% owned by the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. Mark Steed, chief investment officer of the retirement system, has previously claimed the fund is “$13 billion” on social media.
Portman Road
With no official confirmation of the Tractor Boys’ wealth, it’s hard to put them amongst the likes of Stoke and Leeds. Nevertheless, there is cash available at Portman Road.
Big money business
When a promoted team from League One reportedly has owners worth over £10billion, it’s fair to say the Championship is a big-money business these days.
The prospect of Premier League football is a carrot plenty of billionaires wish to get their hands on. As finances increase year on year and the risk grows bigger, now is the time to escape the before competition grows too fears.
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