Dream Sports Joins Ownership Group Of Salford City FC

After shifting its domicile to India in March, Dream11’s parent entity Dream Sports has now joined the ownership group of English football club Salford City FC. 

Dream Sports has become a part of Salford City Football Club’s new consortium led by the sports icons David Beckham and Gary Neville and US-based business leaders Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies.

“A new chapter begins for Dream Sports and SalfordCityFC!…We are thrilled to be a part of such an esteemed group of members! Led by football legends, David Beckham and Gary Neville, and leaders including Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies, Salford City FC’s community of owners will usher in a new era of success!,” Dream Sports said in an X post. 

After the acquisition of Salford City FC, Kelly and Davies would be the co-chairs of the club’s board. 

Nine shareholders make up the new consortium which includes Dream Sports Group and executives of multiple companies. 

“The acquisition has been uniquely structured, through a members club made up of nine shareholders including Dream Sports Group (India’s leading sports technology company), Colin Ryan (Founder, Clipper Street Capital), Frank Ryan (Global Co-Chair, Global Co-CEO, and Americas Chair, DLA Piper), Nick Woodhouse (Executive Vice Chairman, Authentic Brands Group), and Shravin Mittal (Founder of Unbound),” Salford said in a statement. 

The latest move comes amid Dream Sports’ bid to boost its overseas operations. 

Dream11 parent Dream Sports joined the ‘ghar wapsi’ movement, becoming the latest company to move its domicile to India from overseas on March 31. 

“Dream Sports is leveraging tech to unlock the massive potential of India’s sports ecosystem. We have completed a ‘ghar waapsi’ and are now an Indian domiciled business,” its spokesperson had said. 

Earlier this year, Dream11’s  board of directors approved the merger of its US entity Dream Sports Inc, with its India entity, Sporta Technologies Pvt Ltd. 

Besides Dream11, Dream Sports houses FanCode, Dream Sports Foundation, Dream SetGo, Dream Cricket 25, Sixer. 

While FanCode is a platform for live sports streaming, news, scores, and merchandise for Indian sports fans, Dream Sports Foundation their CSR arm focuses on social initiatives in sports, such as supporting grassroots talent and promoting sports in underprivileged communities.

Notably, DreamSetGo is a sports travel and experiences platform offering premium, customized travel packages for major sporting events worldwide. 

In its rationale for reverse flipping to India, Dream Sports said that it will allow the shareholders of the US entity direct participation in the Indian entity, where a majority of the startup’s operations are based out of. 

Besides, it will cut costs and boost operational efficiency, reduce compliance and simplify Dream 11’s group structure. 

However, it is pertinent to note that being a real-money game, Dream11, like other players in the sector, has been reeling under the 28% GST regime imposed on full-face value of the bets.

Its reverse flip came a few weeks before the start of IPL 2025. The startup, which is engaged in real-money gaming business, sees a large chunk of its business come during the IPL.  

The startup roped in actors Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor, and cricketers Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and R Ashwin for its IPL ad campaign this year.

Importantly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suspended IPL for one week ‘with immediate effect’ amid India-Pakistan tensions.