A Decade Under Uncle Sam: How American Ownership Transformed Mallorca
From Segunda B to Cup finalists: The remarkable 10-year journey of RCD Mallorca under American ownership that's seen them rebuild, renovate and rise again.
American investors arrived at a struggling Mallorca a decade ago and transformed the club from relegation battlers to cup finalists with ambitions of cracking La Liga’s top 10.
The Yankee Takeover
January 2016 marked a watershed moment for RCD Mallorca when Liga ACQ Legacy Partners LLC – initially fronted by Robert Sarver, Andy Kohlberg and NBA legend Steve Nash – acquired majority shares from German businessman Utz Claassen. The Americans immediately showed they meant business, injecting over €20 million into the club.
While Sarver and Nash eventually sold their stakes, Kohlberg has remained at the helm as president since September 2017, steering the club through a remarkable transformation.
From Rock Bottom to Resurrection
When the Americans first touched down on the Balearic island, Mallorca were barely keeping their heads above water in Spain’s Segunda División. Despite reinforcements like Lago Junior helping them avoid the drop that season, the unthinkable happened in 2016-17 – relegation to Segunda B, Spain’s third tier, during their centenary year.
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary:
- A complete reinvention with local hero Abdón Prats returning to the fold
- Shrewd signings like Salva Sevilla adding experience
- Back-to-back promotions under Vicente Moreno, catapulting them from Segunda B to La Liga in just two seasons
The Yo-Yo Years and Stability
The promotion party was short-lived as Mallorca suffered immediate relegation during the COVID-disrupted 2019-20 campaign. However, they bounced straight back up under Luis García Plaza before Javier Aguirre took the reins and established them as a proper Premier League outfit.
The Bermellones have now enjoyed five consecutive seasons in La Liga and reached the 2023-24 Copa del Rey final, where they were desperately unlucky to lose on penalties to Athletic Club.
Building for the Future
Beyond results on the pitch, the American ownership has:
- Removed the athletics track at Son Moix, transforming it into a proper football stadium – something supporters had demanded for donkey’s years
- Cleared the club’s debts after exiting administration (in place since 2010)
- Established healthy finances allowing statement signings like Vedat Muriqi, Sergi Darder and Pablo Torre
- Expanded the club’s global brand through social media growth and marketable stars like Take Kubo and Kang In Lee
With ambitions to crack La Liga’s top 10, Kohlberg is set to inject nearly €9 million in fresh capital to continue Mallorca’s upward trajectory. Not too shabby for a club that was in the Spanish third tier just six years ago!