Csi Completes Pompey Takeover
Convers Sports Initiatives (CSI), the international sports, media and enteratainment company owned by Vladimir Antonov, Roman Dubov and Chris Akers, has continued its spending spree by announcing the takeover of Portsmouth FC.
The acquisition is the latest in a spate of purchases by the company, following its recent purchase of the majority stake in Sports International Ltd, the holding company of popular online platform Sportpost.com.
In March 2011 CSI also bought a 65 per cent share of Executive Sport Limited, the parent company of the ‘Leaders in Football’ and ‘Leaders in Performance’ conferences.
The Championship club has been purchased from Sports Holdings Ltd after a negotiation period that reportedly lasted several months.
Portsmouth chief executive David Lampitt said: ‘I am pleased to welcome the club’s new owners and very much look forward to working with them. In CSI, I believe we have found owners who will take the long-term view’.
CSI owners Antonov, Roman Dubov and former Leeds United chief executive Chris Akers have passed the Football League’s fit and proper persons’ test.
They already own a growing list of sports teams, franchises and rights, with interests including the World Rally Championship, PowerPlay Golf, Spartak Moscow ice hockey team, Ferrari Team Russia and the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race.
Antonov, 36, said: We have conducted extensive due diligence and held detailed negotiations with a number of clubs in the English Premier League, Championship, League One and Scottish Premier League over the past 12 months’.
‘We ultimately selected Portsmouth because of its history, loyal fan base and its potential to return to the Premier League’.
CSI were behind a failed bid for Bournemouth last summer, but have been successful on this occasion in securing the sale of Portsmouth FC.
