Donald Trump backlash: Auckland fans upset after A-League owner Bill Foley declares support for former US president
An Auckland FC fan group may protest the club’s owner at their inaugural A-League Men match this weekend after the revelation he is a donor of US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Bill Foley, a billionaire sports magnate who won the license for the expansion club last year, told AAP this week he is donating to the Republicans ahead of the November election.
“I’m terrified about the alternative,” he said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Foley has donated millions to Republicans in recent years but swore off Trump after he attempted to subvert democracy following his 2020 election loss.
Foley has put his hands deep in his pockets to support the club, paying an estimated $A20 million license fee to enter the league, and forecasting roughly $A4.5 million in losses in year one.
He is far from the first club owner to divide fanbases.
The mega-money world of professional football draws in all sorts of owners, from benevolent billionaires who invest, nation-states that own clubs to ‘sportswash’ their international reputation, and vampire operations who can starve the team of funds to make a buck.
“In modern football, as a multi-billion dollar global business, clubs are increasingly reliant on the mega-rich to exist,” Tamaki AFC said.
“The mega-rich, to put it mildly, often have interests and values that oppose those of thousands of grassroots fans.
“Owners come and go, as do players; it is the fans who will determine whether Auckland FC survives and thrives.”
In the A-Leagues, club owners are feeling the pinch, with club payments from head office cut by around 75 per cent from last year.
