Mark Palios speaks on reports that celebrities A$AP Rocky and Rihanna want to BUY League Two club Tranmere Rovers.
Mark Palios has addressed the swirling rumours regarding a potential takeover of the club by A$AP Rocky, in collaboration with celebrity lawyer Joe Tacopina.
While there hasn’t been any official confirmation from Palios on A$AP Rocky’s involvement, he has expressed an urgency to finalise a deal, using the phrase “ASAP,” potentially a playful nod to the rapper’s name, especially as he delivered it with a smirk.
Palios has been clear about his intentions for the club, emphasising the need for investment to enhance the club’s infrastructure, including the possibility of a new stadium and other key projects aimed at ensuring the club’s sustainability and competitiveness in higher leagues. This desire for external investment aligns with the reported interest from A$AP Rocky’s consortium, which aims to purchase an 80% stake in the club for £15 million.
This interest in Tranmere by high-profile investors like Rocky, was inspired by the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s success with Wrexham, indicating a trend where celebrities not only invest in football clubs for business but also for the cultural and entertainment value, potentially leading to documentary series or other media projects that could bring global attention to clubs like Tranmere.
🚨 “It’s been no secret over the last two years we’ve been trying to attract investment to the club, even though we’re not formally for sale.” – Mark Palios to Sky Sports.
Palios also stated that he wanted the deal to be included “ASAP”… 👀https://t.co/AZcKFRRLQp#TRFC #SWA
— Tranmere Report (@TranmereReport) October 21, 2024
Jeff: Why have you decided to sell Tranmere?
Mark: Well, it it it was always part of the plan that when you come in, the club was in a was in a bad state, and at the end of the day, I described it as being an owner that it’s been like in a a relay race when you get the baton on the track, and it’s a relay race without a finishing tape. So you’ve gotta pass the baton on at some stage, and what you’re trying to do is hand it on further up the track.
So, you know, that was always the plan. We’ve, you know, we’ve been through a difficult time over the last 10 years in terms of COVID, in terms of relegation, as you know, Jeff, into the National League and how difficult that league is.
Jeff: Oh, yes.
Mark: So, you know, having gone through all of that, we have actually, off the field, got the club into a position that is ready for the next phase.
And about 2 years ago, we were saying that we’re looking for investments. While we haven’t got the club on the block as it were, we’ve been looking for investments, and it’s and it’s it’s known. And it’s an attractive investment.
You know, it’s not haemorrhaging cash. It’s in a great position to and we’ve increased its potential. And its potential is around being on Merseyside. So there’s massive potential in terms of development of the south bank of the river, and we’ve tried to plug into that being part of the community etc.
So it’s always been in the plan that that we’d make a move on. And it’s just attractive to I’ve spoken you know, both they mentioned ASAP Rocky, who’s supposedly aligned with Joe Tacopina, there’s a lot of people who’ve been interested.
Ally: Mark, I was gonna ask you, mate. You mentioned the club’s in a stable condition and and there’s a viable option for somebody to buy. Obviously, the names are getting thrown about here are very, very high profile.
Now it’s obviously of maximum importance to yourself and the football club moving forward, particularly the fan base, that the buyers, you know, have got the same hopes and dreams, as the supporters have. How do you go about doing a kind of due diligence on some of the names of the statue of those people that you’re talking about?
Mark: Well, it’s I think the first thing, it’s a great question because, what we’ve also done, which I don’t think hasn’t got much publicity at this stage, is we’ve issued 2 golden shares, and that and that’s been my name and and in Nicola’s name. They’re they’re not for value.
And in fact, if anything, they deteriorate value because it stops people coming in. We can veto a stadium move beyond 5 miles. We can veto any of what we call the crown jewels being affected. The colours, you know, all the all the stuff you’ve seen in the past.
And, you know, we would hand that this is in the before a regulator comes in.
So we can control that to some extent in in respect to that. As regards to other things, for example, if you if you took, for example, just take, Joe Tacopina, who other people have come to games, but Joe’s fairly high profile and people have seen him.
He could also add value by bringing celebrities in, who can then increase the commercial potential of the club.
You’ve seen it with Wrexham, et cetera, at the moment, if you’re looking at that group of particular people, the US market is very attractive.
We’ve seen it in the Premier League, even today, debating the struggles they’ve got because of the globalisation of football.
And the US market if you look at it, you’ve got the example of Wrexham recently, you’ve got the World Cup coming up there, you’ve got 85 million Americans watching English football – 45 million of which don’t have a club at this moment in time.
Lower league clubs are potentially in their sights because the Americans always want sporting assets over here which are undervalued, and if you try to buy an MLS club, they’re ridiculous prices so people wouldn’t do that.
There’s actually a gap in the market which just happens to coincide with where we are in terms of the development of the club and taking it to the next stage.”
Jeff: Yeah. And, obviously, a club you cared for for a long time, Mark. So I know this is a a sensitive time in terms of the take off, but can you confirm then that that Joe Tacopina and ASAP Rocky have shown an interest in buying?
Mark: Joe Tacopina has come to the games, he’s not been afraid to put his presence out there and there’s been a lot of stuff leaked into the media.
At the end of the day, whether he brings A$AP Rocky in or not is down to him, it’s the type of thing I think would enhance his consortium because they can add value to the commercial side.
Because A$AP’s wife is of course Rihanna and then you then get into the full aspect of it, which doesn’t sound like football, but it actually is football.
You’ve got two potentials in a club, the football potential, and because of the pyramid we have in this country, that potential can be as much as you want to make of it as long if you’re prepared to fund it.
So at the top end you’ve got sovereign states funding it, now that’s one of the problems the Premier League have now got.
The other potential we’ve got is the commercial potential of the club which we’ve tried to show is actually quite significant.
And if you add onto that the impact of celebrities like Rihanna, then you can see that would greatly increase the commercial potential of the club which then moves it on.
Here’s how fans reacted as Mark Palios speaks on reports A$AP Rocky and Rihanna want to BUY Tranmere Rovers…
@tranmerekev: Mark Palios claims 80 million Americans watch English football in his Talksport interview. I’m pretty sure that’s not true. The PL isn’t even the most watched league in the US, and neither is MLS. #Tranmere
@jmwdesignss: Brilliant interview from Mark Palios on @TSBreakfast. Reading between the NDA’s, seems all but confirmed. Mentioned Tacopina being the head of a consortium… mentioned that he thought it would be a good idea to bring high-profile names to the club, like A$AP Rocky & Rihanna. Also mentioned the potential for investment on the waterfront this side of the Mersey. #TRFC #SWA
@ZaaanderSmith: It is happening ladies and gents. Strap in and enjoy the ride.
@Gidsentinel: I’m a little bit excited over here. Bit of trepidation, however, I’m excited
@Davismax1884: It would be great for us in terms of success however I think there are some negatives to it as well. It concerns me a bit incase we end up selling our soul and prioritising people who turn up because of who they are rather than hardcore season ticket holders
@RicciTRFC: Would be absolutely stunned if this all goes through but MP is still there making footballing decisions. Nothing would change except we would have the best e sports centre in the North and sign more expensive crap #trfc #swa
@LukeRobboLFC78: If the Tranmere takeover happens, that will be great for the club and The Wirral.
@LukeRobboLFC78: I still can’t get over Rhianna possibly buying Tranmere. Imagine her in Birkenhead 😅
@JeremyArnold31: This is crazy but fun for the much ignored lower leagues and the smaller club on Merseyside. Good luck to them 👍 though ill be jealous
@RicciTRFC: Classic MP interview this morning. Analogy to start, COVID, patting himself on the back for how good things are off the pitch, textbook #trfc #swa
@beamoreyou: Whatever happens with the club from here, Palios deserves the upmost respect. Things may not have progressed as we had hoped to over the last few years from a footballing POV, but he has kept our club afloat financially and given us some of our best years. #SWA
@TROSC_TRFC: A great interview on @talkSPORT with @markpalios1, @JeffStelling and @Ally_McCoist9. Very well explained on the current goings on.
@Deadly_sub: Was it? Lots of waffle and self-agrandisement as usual. I know NDAs in place, but we all just want this sorted now and let MP head off into retirement.
@catt_90: I’m sure he wants it sorted as well…. It’s been a well known fact amongst us for a few months… Broke in national press over the weekend…. What else do you want him to say? We all know it’s with the EFL…. If he stayed silent and didn’t go on talk sport you’d kick off.
@Muaythai1egend: Even with a take over we have got to keep prenton park and not put a new stadium down by the river Mersey the amount if loyal fans who have lived joys and heartbreak at pp all saying if the make a new stadium they would not attend rovers anymore
@CherylSwanick: I would normally agree with that , but to have a new ground opposite Evertons BMD across the river is something I think I would like. There it would have good bus and train links
@lennyb1983: If we start going up the leagues we’ll need to move. As shit as it is. Time isn’t right now as there’s much more important stuff to be funded. Main stand’s falling apart. Need £20m to rebuild main stand and upgrade the rest of PP. But thats all we can do. Can’t extend it anymore
@KeatLewie: I back this keep the ground where it is
@catt_90: Have you not read about the potential take over and potentially land and property value??? Everything points towards a sports village… That won’t happen at Prenton Park …….
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