Here is all you need to know about Ex-Haas F1 sponsor Rich Energy boss William Storey and his net worth who might take over the Reading FC Football club
It is said that a £50 million deal to sell Reading to British industrialist William Storey is imminent. The present owner, Yongge Dai, has decided to sell the club to the previous sponsor of the Formula One team, as reported by The Telegraph.
Who is William Storey as he looks to buy Reading FC, net worth in 2023, wife, companies and business
A £50 million deal to buy the struggling League One team from the CEO of Rich Energy, an energy drink, is expected to proceed, pending the owner’s suitability. Storey previously tried to purchase Sunderland and Coventry City, but both attempts were unsuccessful.
The stadium and the team’s brand-new training facilities at Bearwood Park will be funded by the businessman, he has pledged. Even though wealthy backers have contributed a little amount of money, Storey has publicly promised to invest in the team after buying it outright.
Sources at the top of Reading say William Storey's bid will fail for two reasons
1. Not reaching an agreement on the value of the club with Dai Yongge (also an issue for other interested parties in the US)
2. Not passing the EFL’s Owners & Directors test[@TimDellor] #readingfc pic.twitter.com/tRjaX80G4E
— Talk Reading (@TalkReading) October 12, 2023
Who is William Storey?
Born on September 13, 1978, in Richmond on Thames, England, William John Storey is a businessman. The 45-year-old has been connected to the carbonated beverage firm Rich Energy since 2015. Nothing is known about his marital status.
William Storey’s education
William Storey attended the Russell School in Petersham and the Tiffin Boys School in Kingston upon Thames for his early schooling before continuing his studies in mathematics at the University of St Andrews.
William Storey’s career
Storey has a number of business initiatives, but he is most known for his work with Rich Energy. When Force India, now known as Aston Martin, ran into financial difficulties trying to break into the Formula One racing scene, Storey reportedly put together a deal to buy the company, but he was not deemed an acceptable long-term owner. So he changed his approach and became a title sponsor.
His involvement in a different sponsorship drama occurred last year, this time with the British Superbike squad OMG Racing Yamaha, whose vehicles have been sporting the Rich Energy livery in black and gold since 2020 and one key venture of Storey’s that hit the headlines was Rich Energy’s ill-fated sponsorship of Formula One team Haas.
It was claimed that four high-profile billionaires backed Storey to secure the sponsorship – thought to be worth around $60million per season but the sponsorship deal failed to last a year.
Storey also claimed to have agreed a £100million deal to purchase the Sahara Force India racing team after they were placed into administration, but the team themselves denied this.
What is William Storey’s net worth?
William Storey and Rich Energy’s net worth is unconfirmed as according to Motorsport.com Storey claimed that Rich Energy was backed by “four sterling billionaires” including West Ham Football Club owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
The actual worth of the business cannot be ascertained as no accounts for Rich Energy (or its parent company Lightning Volt) since 2017.