Potential Sheffield Wednesday owner Adam Shaw explains his vision, and the club being ‘way bigger than Wrexham’.
As reported by The Athletic, two groups are interested in buying the Championship club, owned by Dejphon Chansiri.
One group, led by Florida-based investors John Flanagan and Sheffield-born Adam Shaw, has gone public with their plans.
Shaw, a lifelong fan, believes the club can become “Florida’s English football team” by leveraging the 2026 World Cup and their ownership group’s connections, which include former Major League Baseball players, an ex-Premier League star, and a potential celebrity investor, all unnamed.
They look to emulate Wrexham’s transformation under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, citing Wednesday’s larger fanbase and history as a foundation for growth and greater potential.
Shaw’s group have seen both bids rejected by Chansiri, who values the club higher, despite the club’s financial struggles, late payments, and EFL sanctions, which has deterred progress.
Shaw’s vision includes upgrading the academy, training ground, and Hillsborough stadium (capacity 35,000), improving commercial revenue through US ties, and modernising the stadium while preserving its heritage.
They propose honouring the 1989 Hillsborough disaster victims more prominently, potentially renaming the West Stand, and long-term plans for a new 55,000-capacity stadium.
Other plans include reducing ticket prices, giving free tickets to first responders and military personnel, enhancing merchandise, reverting to a traditional Owl logo, and adding a fan representative to the board.
Chansiri’s financial pressures, including EFL charges for rule breaches and struggles with his family’s Thai Union Group, may force a sale, but his high asking price and recent issues, like unpaid staff triggering a potential three-window transfer ban, complicate negotiations. Another unnamed group is also in talks, represented by a UK club broker, but remains private.
An exclusive chat with Adam Shaw, co-leader of one of the US-based groups trying to buy Sheffield Wednesday from the ever-charming Dejphon Chansiri. Shaw explains his plans for Hillsborough (& beyond), the academy, tickets, kit, logo, Rohl & Ryan Reynolds. https://t.co/Va9M9W1bwR
— Matt Slater (@mjshrimper) June 16, 2025
“Sheffield Wednesday are nowhere in America. We sell zero shirts and have no commercial presence there — that’s got to change,” Adam Shaw said in the report.
“With the World Cup in the U.S. next year and with the individuals we have in our ownership group, we could easily become Florida’s English football team.
“We should and can be way bigger than Wrexham. Ryan Reynolds would give his left leg to have what we already have at Wednesday in terms of our history and fanbase. Let’s use that.
“We are Sheffield Wednesday, we are a big enough club to create the best academy and training facilities in the UK if we put our minds to it.
He says “perhaps in five years”, they’d look to moving the club into a 55,000-capacity stadium.
“We wouldn’t do anything without consulting the fans, but we think the club should have a home where people can park more easily and have up-to-date facilities.
On an initiative of tickets to first responders and military personnel, he said: “I know this is an American tradition, but I believe all Sheffield Wednesday fans would get behind this initiative.
Twitter users reacted as the potential Sheffield Wednesday owner explains his vision for the club, and says explains being ‘way bigger than Wrexham’…
@breadbin_swfc: “Shaw would also like to see a fans’ representative join the board.” Oh really, I wonder who he has in mind…
@PA_Owls: Our name alone would get attention, now more than ever, in the US – time is a ticking.
@hammy911: Hope this is true. Club is on its arse. #chansiriout #swfc
@Jamesy_boy: Hmmmm. Something definitely happening in the background #swfc
@willfowler1867: I mean anything right now is better than Dej, but making Hillsborough into a bowl, connecting Kop, North and Leppings Lane 🤮 no thanks, it’s traditional how it is, it’s brilliant for what it is, yeah needs some work, but the basics and structure should stay. #swfc
@Jamesreaney92: Adam Shaw’s barmy army…let’s get behind this bid, atleast they’ve got a plan for the future (intrigued about the backers too) #swfc
@fittall1987: You’ll see some moronic tweets trying to belittle what is said in here but my god this club has been crying out for this sort of stuff for about 20 years. It’s like night and day from the chancer. There is so much scope to really build something when he finally goes
@AllPieEye: Genuinely believe some fans still wouldn’t be happy if a Gulzillionaire bought Wednesday, paid Chansiri 500 million built a new stadium in 3 weeks, made season tickets 5p, free entry on match days,new shirts for life, with the 80s owl on and put hot water on the kop!.. #swfc
@Owen_wawaw_s6: Bit harsh @Danfudge, can’t exactly just pay what the lunatic wants because it’s not worth that much is it
@GP1867: If it was as easy as just putting a bid in and buying the club it’d have been done a long time ago. It’s so much more complex than that
“Sheffield Wednesday are nowhere in America. We sell zero shirts and have no commercial presence there — that’s got to change,” says Shaw, a lifelong Wednesday fan. “With the World Cup in the U.S. next year and with the individuals we have in our ownership group, we could easily… pic.twitter.com/T8EpUexgrr
— Irlan Simões 🏴 (@IrlanSimoes) June 16, 2025
Can you please tell him we have a huge presence here in the US and us Florida Owls tried to invite him to our national meet up in Tampa in March🥺😂 pic.twitter.com/uU5L5xsRJu
— robyn🤗 (@robynhoodww) June 17, 2025
Adam Shaw I wanna moonwalk son #swfc https://t.co/cwgQlKed0z pic.twitter.com/naOjiCdc9g
— Tom (@Justom29) June 16, 2025
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