5 months ago
23
ARTICLE AD BOX
A five-year-old, fifth-tier Scottish football club has raised £783,000 after seeking funds from global investors.
Caledonian Braves play in the Lowland League which, with its Highland equivalent, acts as the gateway to the Scottish Professional Football League.
Shareholders from the NBA, including Washington Wizards point guard Ryan Rollins, the NFL, the National Women's Soccer League and Nasa invested as Braves set out to raise $750,000 (£588,000) by the end of July.
Parties from each of the 50 states in the United States have also signed up as funds reached $1m (783,000).
Founding owner Chris Ewing said: "The idea of the Braves was simple: we are a small fish in Scottish football, but in the digital age, there are no boundaries to get involved and play a part in the running of a club.
"For as little as $100 (£78), you could be an owner of a football club. That has appealed to fans of all ages and in all corners of the world. The response has been terrific, but I always had confidence in our vision.
"I have had countless messages from people watching our games on YouTube at all hours of the day in time-zones across the world. We now have more than 3,000 owners."
Caledonian Braves finished 12th in the Lowland League in season 2023-24, while East Kilbride won the division but failed to reach the SPFL after losing to Stranraer in the League 2 play-off final.
"Our manager, Ricky Waddell, has already made his pitch for a bigger player budget for next season and it's natural that we would want to invest some of the money raised into improving the squad," Ewing added.
"Ultimately, we want to continue our journey into the SPFL, but we want to do it responsibly and by staying true to our vision and values as a community club with fans at the heart of our decision making.
"We have big plans for the club and the recent investment will help us take significant strides forward in terms of playing squad but also infrastructural improvements off the field."
English (US)