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James Bord, a former professional poker player, has been identified as the preferred bidder to acquire Sheffield Wednesday, according to confirmation from BBC Sport. The club, known as the Owls, has been in administration since October, marking the end of a decade of ownership under Dejphon Chansiri. On Wednesday, the club’s administrators officially announced that an agreement had been reached with a potential purchaser.
Bord hails from London and began his career working with gambling companies such as Starlizard and Smartodds before achieving notable success on the poker scene, winning a total of $4.3 million (£3.18 million). Currently, he leads Short Circuit Science, a data company specializing in artificial intelligence-driven sports analytics. Bord previously provided advisory support to COH Sports following their acquisition of Sheffield United but no longer maintains any ties with the Owls’ local rivals. His involvement in football extends beyond the UK, with stakes in Spanish Segunda Division’s Cordoba CF and Bulgarian club Septemvri Sofia under his business Park Bench SFC LLC.
Based in Las Vegas, Bord co-owns Dunfermline Athletic alongside partner Evan Sofer, a relationship that has lasted nearly a year. He recently attended his first match there, which resulted in a 3-2 home defeat to Ayr United. While Bord is the preferred bidder for Sheffield Wednesday, it remains unclear who is involved within his consortium or whether the takeover will be conducted through Park Bench SFC LLC. The bid still requires approval from the English Football League’s Owners and Directors’ test, which may present challenges given Bord’s previous gambling industry involvement.
Joint administrator Paul Stanley released a statement on behalf of the club, explaining that the decision to proceed with a preferred bidder followed a thorough financial, legal, and forensic due diligence process, supported by expert advisers. The detailed assessment included evaluations of funding, ownership structure, and governance. Though the statement did not specify the winning party, it noted that the consortium has prior experience in football ownership, including both majority and minority interests in clubs operating within regulated leagues. Among the other contenders for the club are former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and American ex-aviation CEO David Storch, whose bid features collaboration with Tom Costin of Blue Crow Sports Group, a multi-club investment platform with stakes in several teams across France, Spain, and Mexico. Initially, around ten parties remained in the running when the first phase of the process concluded on 21 November. Sheffield Wednesday are currently bottom of the Championship with a points deduction leaving them 30 points from safety and facing near-certain relegation to League One.
Reactions to the news have been mixed among supporters, as reported by BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton. Some fans recall Bord’s involvement at Sheffield United as unsuccessful, attributing part of the club’s difficulties this season to the tumultuous summer that followed their near-promotion to the Premier League. Questions persist regarding the financial backers of Bord’s bid, the strategic vision beyond an analytics-centered recruitment approach, and whether the consortium can identify signings that will develop into valuable assets. Conversely, some supporters appreciate that the use of analytics offers a clear plan and value the experience Bord’s group brings from its ownership of other clubs. For many, there is relief that the lengthy period of speculation about the club’s future has moved forward. Should Bord’s consortium complete the takeover, it will represent a significant challenge, and fans are keen to learn more about their intended approach for the club prior to finalizing the deal
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