Kahawa Pride FC: A Case Study in Buying a Football Club
Earlier this year, JerseyBird founder and CEO Hayes Canupp bought 50% of a sixth-tier Kenyan football club. He is living the dream shared by football fans around the world: owning and operating a struggling club with the hope of one day reaching the Kenyan Premier League. How did a young twenty-something from Nashville, Tennessee come to own an obscure football club on another continent, thousands of miles away? That’s what we’re going to explore in this JerseyBird–Kahawa Pride case study in football ownership.
Hayes founded JerseyBird while still in college, originally designing baseball and basketball jerseys and posting them on social media. An opportunity soon presented itself and JerseyBird pivoted to football (soccer). Since then, the company has designed kits for clubs across the globe. JerseyBird’s portfolio ranges from the Philippine National Team to Panamanian first-division side Herrera FC, and, of course, Kahawa Pride FC in Nairobi, Kenya.
Through this relationship, Hayes was eventually able to acquire 50% of Kahawa Pride for an initial investment of roughly $1,000. Since the acquisition, he and his co-owner, Mathias Olander, have invested several thousand dollars more into the club while generating revenue through jersey sales, sponsorships, and social media. That money has gone toward essentials such as a team boarding house and clubhouse, meal plans, brand new boots, and a team office. Future plans include weight training equipment and grass or turf for their home pitch, which at the moment is nothing more than dirt.
Many of the things European or American clubs take for granted are simply not available at the sixth tier of the Kenyan football pyramid. A small investment can go a very long way for a local football club in a developing nation like Kenya.
This raises an obvious question: if Hayes can do it, can other football fans with a modest amount of capital do the same? The answer is a resounding yes. However, under the current system, prospective owners must do a tremendous amount of research and legwork on their own. First, you need to identify a club. Then you have to establish a relationship. Next comes trust. Only after all of that - and only if the club is willing to sell - can negotiations even begin. If the terms align, you might walk away with a football club. If not, it’s back to square one.
That’s where Footy Patrons comes in.
Footy Patrons aims to bridge the gap between football clubs and football capital. Our goal is to create the world’s first dedicated marketplace where everyday fans can invest in clubs, become dues-paying members, donate to specific club initiatives, or even buy a club outright. There are millions of dollars ready to be invested into football clubs in places like Chile, Nigeria, Thailand, and yes, even the United States, England, or France.
We are on the verge of changing how football is financed at the grassroots and lower-league levels. Footy Patrons will give clubs access to capital, help professionalize their operations, and create real pathways to promotion and stability. At the same time, we are giving football fans everywhere a realistic chance to turn the dream of club ownership into reality.
To get involved, join the Waiting List now. Early members will be the first to know when we launch our 20-club pilot program and will receive priority access as the platform rolls out.
To read the previous blog, click here: How to Buy a Football Club
