Multi-millionaire businessman and Bristol City Football Club owner Steve Lansdown is today named as the majority shareholder of Bristol Rugby Club.
Confirmation of the involvement of Mr Lansdown, who founded highly-successful Bristol financial advisers and brokers Hargreaves Lansdown, came in a statement today from the rugby club.
Chairman Chris Booy told the BBC he was “delighted” to confirm Mr Lansdown had taken a majority stake in the club.
Mr Lansdown said: “I love sport generally and I want to see sport in Bristol be successful across the board.
“When the rugby club was in financial difficulty a few years ago I came in and helped.
“I’m looking at a long-term strategy for both clubs to make them sustainable, to make them a lasting legacy for future generations to come.”
The club will remain at Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium, described by Mr Booy as its “spiritual home” for at least the next season but will look at future options.
Rovers are planning to move to a new ground at the University of the West of England campus near Frenchay.
Mr Lansdown launched Hargreaves Lansdown with colleague Peter Hargreaves 30 years ago in a Clifton bedroom, turning an investment of just £500 each into personal fortunes of £500m by the time it became a FTSE-100 company last year.
