How Sheffield Wednesday's new owners wealth compares to Sheffield United | OneFootball

Football League World compares the wealth of the new ownership at Sheffield Wednesday to that of their city rivals, Sheffield United

It's been close to two weeks now since Sheffield Wednesday was taken over by the Arise Capital Partners consortium.

The group, led by David Storch but also featuring his son Michael and Tom Costin, have been hard at work ever since they were confirmed as the new preferred bidders at the Hillsborough-based club in March.

Not only did the group work quickly with the EFL to undergo their owners and directors test before the jurisdiction shifted to the new Independent Football Regulator, but they also negotiated the waiving of the 15-point deduction they were set to begin next season, too.

That, plus the news surrounding the club not being subject to a salary cap, nor limited to how much they can spend per season, means that the Owls are beginning 2026/27 on a level playing field, meaning Storch and co can begin to use their money to help rebuild the club both on and off the pitch.

But how much wealth does Arise have at their disposal, and how does that compare to their city rivals, Sheffield United?

How Sheffield Wednesday's owners' net worth compares with Sheffield United's

In the wake of their preferred bidder status being confirmed and updated when the group's takeover was finalised, the Sheffield Star looked into who each of the three key figures in the Arise Capital Partners consortium was.

David Storch worked for nearly 40 years in the aviation industry, building his name through AAR Corp in Chicago, where he'd become chief executive and led the company for over two decades.

He stepped down from that role in 2018, and the Star suggests that the money made from that venture, plus other shareholdings and private investment, adds up to a net worth of around £80 million.

Michael Storch, his son, and Tom Costin, an investor in a football investment platform, Blue Crow Sports Group, don't have too much information surrounding their own personal net worths, but it's worth mentioning that they would bump up that £80 million figure. Additionally, more investors have invested "significant funds" into the club, too.

In comparison, Sheffield United have been under the COH Sports ownership since December 2024, a group led by Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy. They purchased the club for a reported £105 million, which would indicate a high net worth above that to keep it running.

Unfortunately, Rosen's net worth isn't publicly known, but Eltoukhy is said to be worth at least £294.7 million, according to Quiver Quantitative. If Rosen's is anything near that, the Blades' owners are worth much more than Wednesday's.

Sheffield United's recent Premier League past makes net worth figures understandable compared to Sheffield Wednesday's owners

Ultimately, with Sheffield Wednesday heading into League One next season, and Sheffield United looking to mount a promotion charge to try and get back into the Premier League for the third time since 2019, it makes sense as to why the Blades are currently owned by reportedly wealthier individuals.

It ultimately costs more to run a club in the Premier League compared to the third tier, or even the Championship, so wealthier individuals are at the helm in the top flight and in clubs that have a recent top-flight pedigree.

But that doesn't mean that Sheffield Wednesday doesn't have room to grow. With the right investment, they could easily be knocking on the door of the Premier League, a division they haven't been in since the year 2000.

Now, after some good work behind the scenes so far, all eyes will be on what David Storch and the Arise consortium can do during the summer, both when it comes to upgrading out-of-date training facilities and adding to a neglected squad on the field.

That'll be the first step towards pulling themselves back towards the level of wealth that surrounds their Steel City derby rivals.