Everton transfer ownership of Goodison Park to their women’s team

Everton have transferred ownership of Goodison Park to their women’s team in a move it is hoped will attract external investment amid growing interest in the sport in the US.

The club announced in May that Everton Women would play their home games at Goodison next season following David Moyes’s side move to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the Guardian has learned they have since taken ownership of the 133-year-old ground.

Everton sold the women’s team to a company controlled by the club’s owner, Dan Friedkin, earlier this week. Documents published by Companies House revealed that Roundhouse Capital, the investment vehicle Friedkin used to buy Everton last December, are now the owners of Everton Women Football Club Limited in a deal that also includes Goodison Park.

Everton declined to comment, but sources at the club told the Guardian that under the new structure Goodison Park will be held by Everton Women Football Club, with the Hill Dickinson Stadium belonging to Everton Football Club.

It is hoped the transfer of ownership will increase the appeal of Everton Women to outside investors, although Roundhouse intends to maintain its majority investment and will only sell a minority stake.

Chelsea sold 8% of their women’s team to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian earlier this year in a deal that valued the club at £240m, but Everton Women’s market value is nowhere near that level despite including Goodison Park. The ground is in a conservation area and the club have secured pre-planning approval for a redevelopment that includes affordable housing, a sports centre and community buildings to be managed by the Goodison Legacy Project.

Everton are in the process of converting Goodison Park for Women’s Super League football before the new season, which begins with a Merseyside derby at Anfield on 7 September.

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The lower tiers of the Park End, Gwladys Street and Main Stand are being refurbished, but the upper tiers will not be used. While the ground’s new capacity has not been finalised, the Guardian has been told it will initially be around 20,000, with the scope to increase further if there is sufficient demand.

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