Turkish Delight At Hull City Takeover
EFL Championship football club Hull City AFC has been acquired by Acun Medya Group, the Turkish television channel operator and production company led by Acun Ilicali.
The 52-year-old businessman was introduced to the fans at the MKM Stadium yesterday (19th January) just hours after completing the deal, reported to be worth an initial £20m, and minutes before Hull’s 2-0 win at home to Blackburn Rovers FC.
The takeover brings the Allam family’s controversial ownership of the club to an end after a tumultuous 11 years at the helm.
Despite overseeing two promotions to the Premier League, an FA Cup final and Hull’s first-ever foray into a European competition through the UEFA Europa League in 2014, the Allam family became increasingly unpopular with the fans.
The owner, Assem Allam, sparked uproar in 2013 by announcing plans to change the club’s name to Hull Tigers and, when the move was ultimately blocked by the authorities a year later, he put the club up for sale. However, attendance figures have declined ever since against the backdrop of the strained relationship with supporters.
Ilicali, who has already spoken of his desire to bring back the stayaway fans, said, “I am happy that I have fulfilled one of my biggest dreams. We are starting a beautiful journey with Hull City. We have many big dreams and goals to achieve together with our fans.”
Acun Medya’s production arm operates in Europe, South and North America, and the company controls two national TV channels in Turkey, as well as over-the-top streaming service, Exxen.
Outgoing Vice-Chairman Ehab Allam said, “During our tenure, we have worked hard to create a sustainable model and successful academy set-up, giving the club the foundations it needs for the future.
“There have been lots of ups and downs over the last 11 years or so, but we will take some very fond memories with us… We have taken a very business-led approach to running the club and I truly hope Acun can rebuild the relationship with the fanbase and also bring back the success on the pitch that fans crave and deserve.”
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