Jamie Reuben: How the $300M Takeover Happened; The Story Behind Eddie Howe’s Appointment | Ep. 1

Jamie Reuben is the Co-Owner of Newcastle United FC and Owner of Arena Racing Company. Since their takeover at the end of 2021, Newcastle’s journey has been incredible, surviving relegation before pushing on and achieving an extraordinary Champions League qualification this season.
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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:01 Who is Jamie Reuben?
3:19 The Process of Buying Newcastle FC
6:33 How much does it cost to run a club?
10:45 Player Transfers
16:45 The Role of the Owner
23:09 Foreign Leagues
26:35 Media Rights
34:14 Why Newcastle can’t outspend Chelsea and Man City
37:17 Player Salaries
40:22 Dealing with Media Scrutiny
43:40 Arena Racing
48:01 The Appointment of Eddie Howe
51:09 Football clubs worth $20B?
53:28 American PE Firms Buying Clubs
55:46 Quick-Fire Round
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In today’s episode with Jamie, we discuss:
1) His plans to build a club challenging at the top level:
• How Jamie became part of the consortium to buy Newcastle United and the process they went through to complete the takeover.
• What are Jamie’s thoughts on the value of Premier League football clubs and how the reported £300m deal compares in the current market?
• Newcastle’s dedication to abide by Financial Fair Play while trying to attract top talent and improve the playing squad.
• Jamie’s views on the role of football club owners and different ways to engage and connect with their fans
2) The importance of hiring the right people:
• The story behind Eddie Howe’s appointment as manager and how he won over the board.
•Why having clear and defined roles across operations and performance created the best environment for success and development.
• Newcastle’s desire to sign the best players who fit the culture of the club and who put ‘team’ at the heart of everything.
• The role data is playing in uncovering talent and the edge he believes this gives when building a squad capable of competing for the league.
3) The commercial opportunities that make the Premier League so formidable:
• Why media rights are so important to the total revenue generated by Premier League clubs and how that allows them to spend more on the team.
•‘It’s a big aspiration of ours to build our brand globally and attract more fans from around the world’. How does Jamie plan to achieve this?
•Is there room to improve the equally distributed international media rights package and which regions can be targeted to achieve this?
•Does a commercial opportunity ever come into conflict with the fans?
•How the commitment to distribute finances from top to bottom creates a more competitive product.
4) The value of a sporting portfolio:
• Jamie’s passion for horse-racing and how their ownership of Arena Racing Company fits into the wider sporting portfolio.
• How does the business of racing compare to the business of football, and do the key financial drivers differ?
• Can more be done to improve the media and content around racing as we have seen in Formula 1 and football?
• Jamie’s ambition to add more assets to their sporting portfolio.
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#JamieReuben #NewcastleUnited #BusinessOfSport #harrystebbings #charliestebbings #eddiehowe #premierleague

[@brucescott5478]

You’ll never lose the authenticity of the Newcastle fans. They are one of a kind and can never be replicated the match literally makes their week. Been there through thick and thin

[@jackraine2409]

❤

[@user-es4pw9cd2g]

The real one's cant afford it, the ones who cant havent been there. Wrong

[@ianjackson8043]

As a Geordie this was a great watch and so happy we have Jamie as part of ownership

[@nickcraig1052]

This is brilliant! Jamie totally gets it especially what us fans want, keep on keeping on!

[@mot10nmusic11]

We are massive! People say we aren't but, if you consider Ashley's tenure at the club as a black mark, look at the club. Interviews on high performance with Trippier and Howe, the TV coverage, the atmosphere as a whole, the sela announcement in Saudi Arabia, this tour in the US, Toon players returning to the international stage, interviews like this with owners, the ownership model itself, appearing on advertisements etc... All these things go to show that

[@chrisdonnelly7401]

great interview, class owners

[@IamRooHeron]

Between the NUFC owners and Sam Fender, I've never know the city to be so buzzing. Bring back Maximo Park and chuck a Greggs in St James Park and we might just loose our minds.

[@robleeuknhl3345]

I always think he looks like Steven Taylor

[@garymuckle1002]

never seen them both in the same room....

[@pt4387]

Need to check the side of his body and see if he still has that gun shot wound.

[@JustinPoggioArtworks]

What a great watch and Jamie Rueben comes across really well. So lucky to have owners like these 🖤🤍🖤🤍

[@holliebeachill7589]

Yes definitely

[@kevinpipe8168]

without a shadow of a doubt nufc have the best owners in football with Amanda's brain's the ruban love of newcastle as a whole and the cash from over seas who want the best of everything they touch nufc cant go wrong

[@davidforster1628]

Fantastic podcast! Some great insight into my football team. Much appreciated

[@manchaple]

Being a Newcastle fan was hazardous for your health. I genuinely think it's taken 10 years off my life. They joy, the anger, the heart rate, as Jamie mentioned. It's been a long hard 40 odd years for me. Finally though, I think we're where we should be!!

[@JohnnyRoastingtons]

So proud to call you our owner. HWTL

[@holliebeachill7589]

Definitely

[@alancurry4161]

Well done Sir, top down to earth interview

[@v4vendetta237]

Great interview.

[@lukemckean6155]

Hope the Toon will come to Australia and / or SE Asia in the next few years 🙏🙏🙏🖤🤍

[@Grimbo]

Thanks for the video.. Jamie is a breath of fresh air!

[@neilclark4709]

Loved the way he referred to $ashely as the 'former owner' and not by name!

[@blannibal3610]

Gents great interview, but can you let the guest continue their chain of thought. The best podcasts when guests pause allow them to collect their thoughts and think and that's where sometimes you get the best bits. it's not always an opportunity to interject or say what you're thinking.

[@roadrunner2930]

What an interesting watch thanks guys 👍😄👍

[@8NEXTONE8]

Great stuff lads. up the mags!

[@isthatakingfisher2931]

He’s so incredibly posh it’s amazing 😂

[@RaynaDJ]

Yah yah yah XD

[@j.j.911]

Ooh, that Castore burn was strong but almost as diplomatic as the Steve Bruce one.

[@geordiejaygaming2878]

great watch

[@joinmeonthedarkside2]

I love how they're all wanting to lay foundations strong footings to build the club for the future.

[@terrythomas8482]

Brilliant interview.

[@joshbrooks5171]

Great interview but felt you guys did cut him off quite a lot

[@adambell2100]

Nice question especially when our owners are spending time to answer questions like that. If Jamie could get Michael Jordan to come to an nufc game it would be amazing. A shirt that fits over sized people

[@Chez114]

​@@-Press.Photo4My.contact1 Stop this you vulture

[@steviemac9055]

It's called Newcastle United FC and has been for around 130 years.

[@stephenhaskins5736]

Comes across as a genuine guy

[@8NEXTONE8]

Big up Blyth!

[@toon_tom]

What about Keef and Steve Wraith though - weren't they instrumental 😂

[@mickdalton1]

😂😂😂😂

[@RaynaDJ]

Good interview lads but let your guests speak! You cut him off so many times it was a bit frustrating.

[@harryrobertson9838]

It's Newcastle United FC

[@BIGMATYY]

this was an awesome watch, yet i still cant feel triggered that Mr Reuben called it soccer 😂😂

[@andrewharrison7767]

that like doesn't convey how much I agree lol

[@britishmodified]

Why are they talking about dollars? It wasn't $300M it was £300M

[@TonyTynebridge]

👏🦓🏴🏳

[@jpswaddle7899]

"The fans ultimately own this club and we are just custodians who they're allowing to take controll" well said lad.

[@oumuamua1963]

I guarantee mike Ashley watched this interview. IRR is what it is about.

[@anthonyclark3425]

Was that a sly dig at man city when talking about cheating on footy manager?? Love it

[@D.M.T]

Newcastle FC? Get it right please. Jeeeeeeez.

[@britishmodified]

Why does he sound like Micky Flannigan doing a posh woman's voice 😂

[@dddgtsd]

Jamie Rueben: what you have to do is sell your players at inflated transfer fees... Did Jamie add a manager to Forest to sign Wood and Shelvey?

[@Sillygoooose624]

Decent listen as a Newcastle fan - but such low energy. Guy with glasses drives you crazy.

[@easterneye2773]

Ikr

[@henriklarsson5221]

Don´t agree at all, both fun and chill.

[@easterneye2773]

This was a great podcast but honestly the guy with the glasses came across like a right div, even Jamie and his co-host looked at him in a cringe way when he was asking and saying awkward and weird things 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@jordizee]

What is a right div?

[@easterneye2773]

Like a right clown or a right numptie

[@andrewharrison7767]

dream sponsor? There's only one for newcastle united - brown ale from mid 90s, but that could present issues now; firstly it could be seen as encouraging irresponsible drinking, but secondly, there could be problems due to saudia arabia / islam's views.

[@GonzoJamie]

Thirdly and most importantly - Newcastle Brown Ale will not be able to fund the premium that the shirt currently warrants.

[@joshd6769]

Never heard of Newcastle FC, you must mean Newcastle United?

[@LouloulandUk]

Jamie we love everything you’ve done for the club and the city but never ever try to do a Geordie accent again 😂 13:54

[@Dindoes]

I’m sorry Jamie but you look like the second coming of Steven Taylor (ex Newcastle defender)…