Inspire acquires Fire Dragons from BEC Tero

Months of speculation shrouding the ownership of Thai League side BEC Tero Sasana has come to an end with Inspire Entertainment emerging as the new proprietor of the embattled club.

The club’s previous owner BEC World, a listed company whose subsidiary BEC Tero Entertainment owned the Fire Dragons, has informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand of the takeover.

Reports said Inspire, a sister company of Siam Sport Syndicate which owns Thai League runners-up SCG Muang Thong United, had acquired the for club for 135 million baht.

This should also explain the recent exodus of five top BEC Tero players to Muang Thong United including Chanathip Songkrasin and Tristan Do.

Once ranked among the local giants, the Fire Dragons suffered the humiliation of being relegated to the second tier League One at the end of the 2015 season.

They remain in the top flight after Saraburi opted out of the league and promoted Police United were refused a licence because of financial problems.

It is unclear if the rules allow the same group to own two clubs in the same division.

A few years ago, Newin Chidchob owned Buriram United in the top flight and Buriram FC in League One. But after Buriram FC gained promotion, Newin sold the club which became Songkhla United.