Who owns Crystal Palace now? How much did John Textor, Josh Harris and David Blitzer and his co-owners pay?

Who are the current owners of Crystal Palace? 

John Textor owns Crystal Palace with business partners David Blitzer and Josh Harris, English businessman Steve Parish and the investor Robert Franco.

The ownership has a general partnership structure. Different investors run the business together.

Steve Parish is Crystal Palace’s longest standing owner. He joined Crystal Palace’s ownership in 2010 when the club faced significant financial pressures. He now reportedly owns around 10 per cent of the club.

American businessman John Textor is the frontman of multi-club empire Eagle Football Holdings. It has a stake of around 45 per cent in Crystal Palace. 

Eagle Football also owns other clubs around the world, including French side Lyon, Brazilian league competitors Botafogo, Belgian club RWD Molenbeek and FC Florida in the U.S. 

Josh Harris and David Blitzer, serial investors who run the global company Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, are each 18 per cent shareholders in Crystal Palace.   

The investor Robert Franco is also a person with “significant interest” in Crystal Palace. He owns around five per cent of the club. 

What is the breakdown of ownership?

Who are the directors of Crystal Palace?

Steve Parish runs Crystal Palace’s day-to-day business as club chairman. 

Parish is joined on the board of directors by owners David Blitzer, Josh Harris and John Textor.

Each of the directors have one vote each on major business affairs.

Crystal Palace’s Chief Financial Officer is Sean O’Loughlin.

The Chief Commercial Officer is Barry Webber. 

What are John Textor and his co-owners’ net worth?

John Textor’s personal net worth is unknown. 

However, members on the board of Eagle Football Holdings include York Capital Management founder James Dinan, who is worth around $1.9bn, and Alexander Knaster, a Russian-American banker who formerly ran the sanction-hit Alfa Bank through his Pamplona Capital Management. 

David Blitzer is also an executive at investment titan Blackstone. He has an estimated net worth of around $2.2bn.

Josh Harris, who co-founded Apollo Global Management, has a net worth of around $7.7bn. 

Steve Parish’s net worth is substantially smaller than his partners’ worth. 

When did John Textor and his co-owners buy Crystal Palace and who was the previous owner?

John Textor became the largest shareholder in Crystal Palace when he invested £87.5m to buy a 40 per cent stake. He then injected £30m to increase his shareholding to around 45 per cent. 

A consortium consisting of Steve Parish and other businessmen including Martin Long bought the club after former owner Simon Jordan placed the club in administration. 

American billionaires David Blitzer and Josh Harris made a £50m investment in the club in 2015, partnering up with Steve Parish on Crystal Palace’s board. 

Blitzer, Harris and Textor’s commitment to the club is clouded by some uncertainty.

Blitzer and Harris were linked to buying Chelsea in 2022. Textor has spoken publicly about Parish’s concerns with regards to the multi-club ownership model at Eagle Football Holdings.

What is John Textor and his co-owners’ record as Crystal Palace owner?

Crystal Palace have played in the Premier League since 2013, after the club was promoted from the Championship through the playoff final. 

But the club have only finished in the top half once, which was in the 2014-15 season when they finished 10th. 

Palace’s financial accounts for 2022-23 showed a pre-tax loss of £24.2m. The club managed to reduce their wage bill and increase turnover to £160m. 

The club are currently planning the reconstruction of a new stand at Selhurst Park, which is set to cost around £150m.