"Joe Gordon put a hat on the moose's head that peered over the musty back room of a Williamsburg bar. It was the centerpiece of a crowded space, and Gordon knew, for some reason, that the trophy screwed onto the wall needed dressing up. He could neither confirm nor deny whether placing that headwear - branded with the badge of the Danish club he owns, Akademisk Boldklub (AB) - had any impact. But his team was down 1-0, and he was feeling superstitious."
"But on that Friday at noon, for the final game of the regular season before the Danish league takes a winter break, they spilled out of their usual corner and onto the main floor. The whole bar was devoted to Danish soccer. It was a scene typical of Mugs, which routinely hosts an ever-expanding group of New Yorkers who watch and, in 2022, invested in AB, a struggling third-division club at the time."
In 2022 a group of American and British investors purchased third-division Danish club Akademisk Boldklub. A small initial group expanded to more than 150 owners who bought in at various price points. Owners and supporters regularly gather at Mugs Bar in Williamsburg, where matchdays often cram the back room and sometimes overflow onto the main floor. Casual watchers chant and watch together, creating a lively community atmosphere. Owners describe the investment as inexpensive, enjoyable, and social. The ownership model transformed spectatorship into active participation and strengthened cross-Atlantic ties around a local Danish club.
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