Vegas Golden Knights Owner Pursues Fourth Major Pro Team Investment

Bill Foley paid $500 million for the Vegas Golden Knights to enter the NHL in 2017 and has since made the 2023 Stanley Cup winners one of the most successful franchises in professional hockey. 

But it’s soccer at the center of Foley’s quest to build a wide-reaching, multi-club ownership portfolio — which could soon include a third major soccer team.

Already holding majority control of Premier League club AFC Bournemouth and a minority stake in Ligue 1 side Lorient, Foley’s Black Knight Football & Entertainment group is now reportedly in advanced talks to secure a minority investment in Scottish Premiership team Hibernian, according to The Athletic. 

The Edinburgh-based Hibs, as they are known locally, are currently eighth in the 12-team Premiership after finishing fifth last year. 

More Down Under

Meanwhile, Foley also is the preferred bidder for an Auckland, New Zealand-based expansion team in the A-League — the top soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. If approved, the new team would begin play in the 2024-25 season, potentially giving Foley a fourth soccer team and fifth pro franchise altogether.

Forbes estimates Foley, who is chairman of Fidelity National Financial, to have a net worth of $1.6 billion. The American billionaire has previously said that investing in a South American team was also on his agenda.