The attendance was “above average,” Gordon remarked as he walked around the bar, exchanging greetings and smiles with every other person. Those gathered in the space took in quite the scene. In the corner, there were two kegs of beer. On the right, there were multiple television screens. And on the left, a massive projector displayed a remarkably high-quality stream of a midseason clash between AB and FC Helsingor – set up, very much legally, thanks to club ownership.
This is a fairly average scene at Mugs when AB play, never mind the fact that it was a Friday afternoon kick off. In 2022, Five Castles Football Group LLC – named as such because two of the five founding members lived somewhat close to some real-life castles – started a hunt for a football club. They had some spare cash, time for investment, and a desire to expand their portfolios. And as they peered around Europe, it quickly became clear that Denmark was the right place to look.
“When we looked at different countries there, you’re looking at price point, you’re looking at the affordability, you’re looking at some of the rules in terms of contracts, work permits, that type of stuff. We just evaluated that we thought that this was, all in all, the best opportunity for us,” Andy Glockner, an original investor, told GOAL.
AB, too, made perfect sense. The Danish third division was a unique place, especially at the time. Back then, it was a step above amateur soccer, but slow to professionalize. With shrewd investment, any club could be lifted up the standings. And AB were a fine one to go for. They had all of the right pieces: a stadium that seats just under 8,000 – and can fit another 5,000 standing – proximity to Copenhagen and a loyal fanbase that has supported the club since its inception in the late 1800s. But crucially, they also had a fine history. They have won nine first division titles, the fourth most ever.
This was a team that had been mistreated, cast aside, and fallen on hard times. For fans, that was a point of frustration. For soccer nerds looking to get involved, it represented an immense opportunity. Still, they couldn’t do it alone. The original five decided, then, to reach out to friends. Gordon, of the moose and the hat, was one of them. He had some spare cash kicking around, and joined forces with dozens of others – all of whom put in stakes of various sizes – to become part owners of the club. In the winter of 2022, their takeover was finalized.
This was community football, de facto fan investment, done from thousands of miles away.