The Imps have announced two major new faces to the investment group at Lincoln City, namely Ron and Andrew Fowler, who joined through their Liquid Investments, Inc. entity.
This is massive news. Ron Fowler may not be a name you recognise, but if you were a fan of US sports, you would. He led the ownership group and acted as executive chairman and control person for Major League Baseball side, the San Diego Padres, from 2012 to 2020, and was previously owner/managing general partner of the San Diego Sockers football team. He is the former chair of Major League Baseball’s Labor Policy Committee and member of MLB’s Executive Council. He continues to work with MLB in an advisory capacity, all of whioch underlines his capability within the sports sector.
Ron also brings significant business expertise. He is recognised as a leader in the beverage industry, was instrumental in delivering a new ballpark for San Diego and chaired the San Diego Super Bowl Task Force and the 2003 Super Bowl Host Committee, which delivered the biggest fixture in American football.
He is also a long-term friend and associate of Harvey Jabara, and he and his son Andrew visited Lincoln earlier this week, meeting the teams based at the LNER Stadium and Soper of Lincoln Elite Performance Centre. Initially, Liquid Investments will take a 12.6% stake in Lincoln City Holdings.
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for Lincoln City FC
“I have a lot of respect for Harvey, and it was clear when I met Clive and Liam that these were people I could work with,” Ron said.
“I have experienced success in the sporting world before, both in baseball and football, and look forward to contributing to Lincoln City’s continued growth quietly in the background.”
Harvey added more to Ron’s statement: “Ron is a serial winner both in his business and sport interests, not to mention his incredible passion to give back to his community, leading significant philanthropic endeavours benefitting countless individuals and organisations over many decades.
“He has been very generous with his time and advice to me over many years, and his leadership of the San Diego Sockers and the Padres has been a model for my involvement in Lincoln City. At no time in my professional career has someone reminded me more of my father than Ron Fowler. With that, I have no higher praise for an individual.
”I felt it was important to really get to know this club and its fans, as well as the city, before asking for investment from colleagues. I believe we have truly progressed as a club under Clive’s leadership, developing our infrastructure and investing in permanent signings, and the opportunity to call upon Ron and Andrew for advice will help us continue to develop.”
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for Lincoln City FC
Ron and Andrew will work closely with the club board, chaired by Clive, who echoed Harvey’s positivity at the announcement. “From the moment I met with Ron, there was an instant connection, and I could see his approach would mirror the way we try to conduct ourselves at Lincoln City.
“Liam, Jez and myself first visited Ron two summers ago to discuss our vision for the club, and it’s very clear we are aligned in how a sports organisation should be run and its obligations to its supporters and community. I know our supporters will give Ron and Andrew the same warm welcome they have given Harvey when they join us at Saturday’s fixture.”
Whilst researching Ron for the article, it became clear he is a wel-known figure within US sports, particularly in the San Diego area, where he is regarded as a philanthropist with a keen focus on further education. Indeed, the San Diego Toreros baseball park representing the college is even called Fowler Park, after Ron and their wife Alexis contributed a significant portion of the funds required to build it.
Son Andrew is an equally impressive figure – Prior to joining Liquid Investments in 2023, he was responsible for sourcing, modelling, and negotiating the acquisition of open-air shopping centres across the United States for a firm with $1.2 billion assets under management.
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for Lincoln City FC
Before Bridge33, Andrew was a client portfolio manager at San Francisco-based Dodge & Cox. He managed equity separate accounts for institutional clients for a firm with more than $300 billion assets under management. He rejoined Dodge & Cox after completing his M.B.A. from Stanford University in 2018. Prior to attending business school, Andrew worked as a research associate at Dodge & Cox for four years, co-covering banks and consumer finance companies across three value-oriented equity funds.
It is important to understand this is not a takeover; it is not a precursor to a takeover. It is an additional skillset joining the club’s senior management structure, and doubtless someone willing to invest in the football club and help plug that gap we see every time the accounts come out. My understanding is whilst it strengthens the club’s position in terms of both expertise and, of course, finances, this isn’t a precursor to a massive uplift in spending. As has always been the case, Ron and Andrew’s involvement will continue to further the steady ascent the club is on, helping to promote managed growth rather than a gung-ho approach to transfers.
Given how we’ve seen things develop over the past few seasons, this can only be a good thing.
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