ALK Capital LLC

What does ALK Capital own?
ALK Capital owns controlling stakes in two European football clubs through its sports investment arm, Velocity Sports Partners (VSP). The firm is the controlling owner of Burnley FC in the English football league system and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona in La Liga. ALK Capital acquired Burnley FC in December 2020 and RCD Espanyol in October 2025. The firm does not own consumer brands or retail products.

Is ALK Capital publicly traded?
No, ALK Capital is a privately held company. The firm is not listed on any stock exchange. In November 2025, Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital Fund I made a significant strategic investment of approximately $200 million in ALK Capital's football operations, but the firm remains privately held. Financial details, including annual revenue and ownership percentages, are not publicly disclosed.

Who founded ALK Capital?
ALK Capital was founded in 2019 by Alan Pace, a former Wall Street banker and sports executive. Pace previously served as president of Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake, where he worked with Dave Checketts. Pace is the Managing Partner of ALK Capital and serves as Chairman of both Burnley FC and RCD Espanyol.

Where is ALK Capital headquartered?
ALK Capital is headquartered in New York, New York, USA. The firm operates offices in New York, London, and Barcelona, reflecting the geographic spread of its football operations in England and Spain. The company employs approximately 9 people across these three locations.

How many brands does ALK Capital own?
ALK Capital owns controlling stakes in two football clubs: Burnley FC and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. The firm does not own consumer brands or retail products. Its portfolio is focused exclusively on sports club investments. Each club retains its own brand identity, leadership, and operational independence.

Who owns ALK Capital?
ALK Capital is privately owned by its founder and Managing Partner, Alan Pace, along with other investors. In November 2025, Dave Checketts' Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital Fund I invested approximately $200 million in ALK Capital's football operations, acquiring a stake in the holding company that owns both Burnley FC and RCD Espanyol. The Cynosure fund's founding partners include Spencer Eccles and Randy Quarles. Specific ownership percentages are not publicly disclosed.

What is ALK Capital's involvement with Burnley FC?
ALK Capital acquired Burnley FC in December 2020 through its sports investment arm, Velocity Sports Partners. Alan Pace became Chairman of the club. Under ALK Capital's ownership, Burnley has been relegated from the Premier League three times (2022, 2024, 2026) and promoted from the Championship twice (2023, 2025). The club will compete in the EFL Championship for the 2026-27 season following relegation in April 2026.

What is ALK Capital's involvement with RCD Espanyol?
ALK Capital, through Velocity Sports Partners, acquired a majority shareholding in RCD Espanyol de Barcelona in July 2025, with the acquisition officially announced in October 2025. The purchase was made from Chinese group Rastar, which became a minority stakeholder. Former NFL star J.J. Watt is also involved in the ownership group. Alan Pace became Chairman of the club. RCD Espanyol competes in La Liga, Spain's top football division.

ALK Capital was founded in 2019 by Alan Pace, a former Wall Street banker and sports executive. Pace had previously served as president of Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, where he worked with Dave Checketts from 2004 to 2009. The founding concept for ALK Capital was to apply institutional investment and data-driven management approaches to sports club ownership, particularly in European football.

In December 2020, ALK Capital, through its sports investment arm Velocity Sports Partners (VSP), acquired Burnley FC, a club in the English Premier League. The acquisition made ALK Capital the first American investment firm to own a Premier League club through a structured investment vehicle. The purchase price was reported to be approximately 170 million GBP. Pace became Chairman of Burnley FC, bringing a data-driven approach to player recruitment and club management.

Burnley FC was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2021-22 season, dropping to the EFL Championship. Under ALK Capital's ownership and with manager Vincent Kompany, Burnley won the Championship in the 2022-23 season, earning promotion back to the Premier League. However, the club was relegated again at the end of the 2023-24 season. Burnley returned to the Premier League for the 2025-26 season after securing promotion from the Championship.

In July 2025, ALK Capital, through VSP, acquired a majority shareholding in RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, a club in La Liga, Spain's top football division. The acquisition was officially announced on October 8, 2025. The purchase was made from Chinese group Rastar, led by Chen Yansheng, which became a minority stakeholder. Former NFL star J.J. Watt was also involved in the new ownership group. The acquisition made ALK Capital the controlling owner of two clubs in two of Europe's top football leagues.

In November 2025, Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital Fund I made a significant strategic investment in ALK Capital's football operations. Dave Checketts invested approximately $200 million in the venture, according to Bloomberg. The investment brought together ALK Capital's football expertise with Cynosure's experience across the sports industry. Checketts had previously served as a board member and early investor in Burnley since ALK's acquisition of the club in 2020.

The partnership with Cynosure expanded ALK Capital's financial resources and strategic expertise. The two firms committed to working together to drive on-field performance, commercial expansion, and sustainable value creation across both Burnley FC and RCD Espanyol. The investment also raised questions about UEFA multi-club ownership rules, which prohibit the same owner from having two teams in the same European competition. Pace stated that he and his team were prepared for this scenario, noting that he would have to leave one or both clubs if they qualified for the same European competition.

In April 2026, Burnley FC was relegated from the Premier League after a home defeat to Manchester City, dropping back to the Championship for the 2026-27 season. The relegation represented a setback for ALK Capital, though the firm's dual-club ownership model provides some diversification across European football markets.

ALK Capital has faced scrutiny related to its ownership of Burnley FC and the acquisition of RCD Espanyol.

The acquisition of Burnley FC in 2020 was financed in part by a loan from MSD UK Holdings Ltd, a lending company associated with Michael Dell's family office. The use of debt to finance the acquisition drew criticism from some Burnley supporters, who expressed concern about the club's financial stability under leveraged ownership. ALK Capital has stated that the debt is serviced through club operations and that the ownership structure is sustainable.

Burnley FC's performance under ALK Capital's ownership has been a source of fan frustration. The club has been relegated from the Premier League three times (2022, 2024, and 2026) during ALK Capital's ownership, though it has also achieved promotion from the Championship twice. The revolving door between the Premier League and the Championship has tested fan patience, despite the club's ability to secure promotion relatively quickly after each relegation.

The acquisition of RCD Espanyol in 2025 raised questions about UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. UEFA prohibits the same owner from having two teams in the same European competition. If both Burnley FC and RCD Espanyol were to qualify for the same European competition, Pace would need to divest his interest in one or both clubs. Pace acknowledged this scenario, stating that he and his team were prepared and that he would have to leave one or both clubs if required.

The investment by Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital in November 2025 also drew attention. The approximately $200 million investment was structured as a stake in a holding company that owns both clubs, consolidating ALK Capital's football operations under a single investment vehicle. This structure may complicate UEFA compliance if both clubs qualify for European competition.

Some RCD Espanyol supporters expressed concern about the acquisition by an American investment firm, reflecting broader skepticism in European football about foreign institutional ownership. Pace sought to address these concerns by emphasizing his commitment to the club's identity and independence, stating that "Espanyol will remain Espanyol."