David Storch, Michael Storch and Tom Costin – Who are Sheffield Wednesday’s incoming new owners?
A consortium led by American businessman David Storch will today be confirmed as the new owners of Sheffield Wednesday – but who is involved?
The incoming new ownership is being led through investment firm, Arise Capital Partners, and also features Storch’s son, Michael, as well as Tom Costin, the managing partner of investment firm, Owl Ventures.
While none of the three have previously owned an English club, the group combines experience in aerospace, private equity and the increasingly common multi-club ownership model. Here’s a closer look at the trio who are expected to be leading the Owls into a new era.
David Storch - A veteran of the aviation industry
At the centre of the consortium is 73-year-old Storch, a veteran American executive who spent nearly four decades in the aviation services sector.
He built his reputation at Chicago-based aerospace company, AAR Corp, joining the firm in the mid-1980s before rising through the ranks to become chief executive. Storch led the company for more than two decades, overseeing a major expansion of its global aviation services business and partnerships with airlines, defence departments and maintenance providers around the world.
He stepped down as chief executive in 2018 after a long tenure, later also retiring from day-to-day management. Corporate filings at the time suggested a personal fortune running into the tens of millions of dollars through shareholdings and executive compensation, and figures online suggest a net worth of around £80m.
Since leaving AAR, Storch has focused on private investment through Arise Capital Partners, which advises and invests in companies across aviation, logistics and infrastructure. In recent years he has also explored opportunities in professional sport having previously been linked with potential investments in English football clubs including Plymouth Argyle and Reading F.C. Those approaches never led to a completed takeover.
Michael Storch - A potential family investment
Also involved is Storch’s son, Michael, who works within the family’s investment activities and is expected to play a role in the strategic side of the consortium. He’s a managing director at Arise.
While public information about him is limited, he has been involved in projects linked to Arise Capital Partners and the wider Storch investment portfolio. His presence in the group could suggest that the ownership model is being structured as a longer-term family investment rather than a purely short-term financial venture.
Family-backed ownership groups are not unusual in football, particularly among North American investors entering the European game.
Tom Costin - Football investment experience
The consortium’s football expertise is likely to come from its third member, Costin. The 46-year-old is an investor in football investment platform, Blue Crow Sports Group, who operate a multi-club ownership model. BCSG invest in teams across different countries while sharing recruitment networks, data analysis and player development systems between them.
Its portfolio has included clubs such as CD Leganés in Spain, Cancún FC in Mexico and Le Havre AC in France. Costin, who is the managing partner of venture capital firm, Owl Ventures, is a board director for the latter.
Multi-club ownership has become an increasingly prominent trend in football over the past decade, with investors seeking to link teams across different leagues in order to share resources and develop players across multiple markets. It remains to be seen whether that will be the case with the Owls.
This is an updated version of an article first published on March 11