Sunderland AFC Women’s acquired by Bay Collective

English football club Sunderland AFC has jointly announced with multi-club ownership platform, Bay Collective, that the latter has acquired a majority stake in the Sunderland AFC Women’s team. The announcement comes after getting formal approval from the Barclays Women’s Super League. The partnership will see both work together on enhancing player development, matchday experiences for the fans and invest in important infrastructure including the development of the Academy of Light, with the goal of building a world-class environment for women’s football. 

Tom Burwell, Chief Executive Officer of Sunderland AFC, said,

“This is a significant and exciting step for our Club, and we are thrilled to partner with Bay Collective for the future of Sunderland Women. Bay Collective brings world-class expertise and a genuine belief in what this Club can become, and we look forward to what this partnership will deliver for our players, our Academy, and our fans.”

Kay Cossington, Chief Executive Officer, Bay Collective, commented,

“What drew us to Sunderland from the very beginning was the depth of its identity, the history, the Academy, the fans, and the incredible legacy this Club has built in English women’s football. Our ambition is to build this Club sustainably and thoughtfully, investing across every part of the organization from player development to infrastructure to the matchday experience so that the success we create here lasts well beyond any of us.”