A new era has dawned at the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks & Hatters, whose home is at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, with the confirmation of Vaughn Millette as new principal owner of the esteemed Yorkshire clubs.

An American entrepreneur based in New York, Millette has joined the existing ownership group by acquiring a controlling interest in one of the most successful teams in the history of professional basketball in the UK.

Millette brings a wealth of experience across the fields of finance, energy, and most recently live entertainment, and has now turned his investment portfolio attention across the Pond to sport and in particular basketball and the Sheffield programme.

The Sharks, who are entering their 30th year of competition in the upcoming season and have enjoyed consistent success never failing to qualify for the Play Offs, have been under the control of Chair Yuri Matischen, MD Sarah Backovic and Head Coach Atiba Lyons with shareholders Karen Child and John Timms. Their recent acquisition of the Sheffield Hatters, under the leadership of Head Coach Vanessa Ellis and who are entering their 60th season, made the Sheffield Club a powerhouse of the game including a men and women’s development programme.

Millette’s decision to acquire the clubs, at a point where the men’s league is facing a difficult challenge, is a testament to the fact that basketball in the UK is on an exponential rise.

“I am thrilled to be partnering with Sarah, Yuri, Atiba and Vanessa to continue building on all their successes. These teams are much more than the competitions, they are an important part of the community and offer a vehicle through which young people can benefit in many ways,” said Millette. “Of course, they are both steeped in a winning culture and my goal is to ensure that we compete for the top spots in all our competitions”.

Although the ownership has restructured, there is no material change to the operation of the Sharks and Hatters with the appointment of Sarah Backovic as CEO of the company and the respective Head Coaches awarded long term contracts.

As summer preparations continue, the new era of basketball in Sheffield has been welcomed as an exciting opportunity and will enhance the growth of the game especially at the Canon Medical Arena.

“We are thrilled to welcome Vaughn as the new principal owner of the club, he brings a wealth of business experience and basketball knowledge that will only serve to improve across performance and growth,” said CEO Backovic. “We are looking forward to a positive future building a successful programme”.

The B. Braun Sharks will be hosting a Meet & Greet with Vaughn Millette on Thursday 25 July at the Canon Medical Arena, 9.00am. For further information please contact claire.ellicott@thesheffieldsharks.com