Rob Couhig
{{Short description|American lawyer and businessman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
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| birth_name = Robert Emmet Couhig Jr.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|4|20}}
| birth_place = New Orleans, Lousiana
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| organization = New Orleans Zephyrs (1993–2002)
New Orleans Gamblers (1997–2000)
Wycombe Wanderers (2019–2024)
Reading (2025–present)
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| party = Republican
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Robert Emmet Couhig Jr. (born April 20, 1949) is an American attorney and businessman, and former Congressional candidate. He is known for his ownership of sports teams, including the New Orleans Zephyrs (1993–2002), the New Orleans Gamblers (1997–2000), Wycombe Wanderers (2019–2024), and Reading (2025–present).
Early life and education
Couhig was born at Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 20, 1949, to Robert Emmet Couhig ({{birth based on age as of date|97|2014|5|29|noage=1|slash=1}}–2014) and Marcelle Reese (died 1986), the owners of Asphodel Plantation.{{cite web |title=Robert Couhig Obituary |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theadvocate/name/robert-couhig-obituary?id=10161986 |website= |publisher=The Advocate |access-date=May 5, 2025 |date=May 30, 2014}}{{cite news |title=From law and pest control to politics and baseball, Couhig's had a varied career |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-daily-press/20190222/282346861088499?srsltid=AfmBOop88CuiB-ahNb11SLBotOSOXWjuzJD0T6G1ka-fRxGqvILtKsTE |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=Western Daily Press |date=February 22, 2019}} He attended Jesuit High School and St Francisville High School before gaining his Bachelor of Science in International Economic Affairs from Georgetown University in 1971 on a scholarship. His Juris Doctor was obtained from Tulane University in 1975.{{cite web |title=Robert E. Couhig, Jr. |url=https://www.couhigpartners.com/robcouhig.html |website=Couhig Partners, LLC |access-date=May 4, 2025 |language=en}}
Career
= Legal and political =
Couhig is a founding partner of a legal firm. He stood as a Republican candidate for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district in the 1980 United States House of Representatives elections, gaining 34.4% of the vote behind Lindy Boggs' 60.8%,{{cite news |last1=Marcus |first1=Frances Frank |title=REP. BOGGS, 68, FACING HER TOUGHEST CAREER CHALLENGE IN LOUISIANA PRIMARY |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/28/us/rep-boggs-68-facing-her-toughest-career-challenge-in-louisiana-primary.html |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 1984}} and was unsuccessful in his 1999 Louisiana's 1st congressional district special election campaign.{{cite news |last1=Bierbauer |first1=Charles |title=Deep field for special House election in Louisiana - April 30, 1999 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/04/30/la.election/ |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=CNN |date=April 30, 1999}}
Couhig unsuccessfully stood in the 2006 and 2010 New Orleans mayoral elections.{{cite news |last1=Webster |first1=Richard A. |title=Rob Couhig talking like a New Orleans mayoral candidate |work=New Orleans CityBusiness |publisher=BridgeTower Media |location=Metairie}}
= Sports ownership =
Couhig was president of Minor League Baseball team the New Orleans Zephyrs from 1993–2002, and oversaw their 1995 relocation from Denver, Colorado, to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Couhig bought USISL team the New Orleans Gamblers in 1997, renaming them New Orleans Storm the following year. After estimated losses of $1 million, the club folded in 2000.{{cite web |last1=Vargas |first1=Ramon Antonio |title=Wycombe Wanderers become English soccer Cinderella under New Orleans lawyer Rob Couhig |url=https://www.nola.com/news/wycombe-wanderers-become-english-soccer-cinderella-under-new-orleans-lawyer-rob-couhig/article_632281ec-c884-11ea-a0e2-bb4710f0d014.html |website=NOLA.com |access-date=May 4, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250504093131/https://www.nola.com/news/wycombe-wanderers-become-english-soccer-cinderella-under-new-orleans-lawyer-rob-couhig/article_632281ec-c884-11ea-a0e2-bb4710f0d014.html |archive-date=May 4, 2025 |date=July 18, 2020}}{{cite news |title=Storm Suspends Operations for Now |work=Times-Picayune |publisher=Advance Publications |date=February 26, 2000 |location=New Orleans}}
After an unsuccessful attempt to buy Yeovil Town in early 2019,{{cite web |last1=Coates |first1=David |title=Rob Couhig talks about trying to buy Yeovil |url=https://gloverscast.co.uk/rob-couhig-talks-about-trying-to-buy-yeovil/ |website=Gloverscast |access-date=May 4, 2025 |date=December 23, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Yeovil Town: American investor Rob Couhig to take control |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47298801 |work=BBC Sport |date=February 19, 2019}} Couhig purchased a controlling 75% stake in League One club Wycombe Wanderers in October 2019.{{cite news |title=Wycombe Wanderers takeover: Rob Couhig deal approved by Trust vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50156506 |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=October 23, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Wanderers |first1=Wycombe |title=Rob Couhig steps down; Dan Rice appointed Interim Chairman |url=https://www.wwfc.com/news/2024/june/07/rob-couhig-steps-down-dan-rice-appointed-interim-chairman/ |website=Wycombe Wanderers |access-date=May 4, 2025 |date=June 7, 2024}} Under Couhig, Wycombe gained promotion to the Championship for their 2020–21 season,{{cite news |title=Oxford United 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers: Chairboys promoted to Championship |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53316283 |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=July 13, 2020}} but were relegated to League One at the end of that season.{{cite news |title=Middlesbrough 0-3 Wycombe Wanderers: Chairboys' relegation confirmed despite win |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56953368 |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=May 8, 2021}} Couhig sold the club to Mikheil Lomtadze in May 2024.{{cite web |last1=Slater |first1=Matt |title=Reading takeover stalls after breakdown in talks between Rob Couhig and owner Dai Yongge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5771984/2024/09/16/reading-takeover-couhig-yongge/ |website=The New York Times |access-date=May 4, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330011408/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5771984/2024/09/16/reading-takeover-couhig-yongge/ |archive-date=March 30, 2025 |date=September 17, 2024}}
Couhig and business partner Todd Trosclair unsuccessfully attempted to buy League One club Reading from Dai Yongge in August 2024. Reading's fanbase had been protesting Dai's ownership following relegation, staff redundancies, sale of players, and multiple instances of point deductions for late payments of HMRC bills.{{cite news |title=Reading points deduction: Royals docked two more points over HMRC bill |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68413946 |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=February 27, 2024}} During the negotiations, Couhig provided funding to the club. After the deal broke down, Couhig began litigation against Reading, stating that Dai breached exclusivity and defaulted on the loan and finance agreements.{{cite news |title='The last stop': Prospective Reading buyer makes takeover claim ahead of deadline |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/25072869.reading-fc-possible-buyer-makes-last-stop-takeover-claim/ |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=Reading Chronicle |date=April 9, 2025 |language=en}} In March 2025, Couhig said that the takeover attempt was "exhausting" but that he would still like a deal to be agreed.{{cite web |title=Rob Couhig: American businessman still wants to buys Reading FC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c93k3dzvv6ro |website=BBC Sport |access-date=May 4, 2025 |date=March 28, 2025}}
On May 3, the day of Reading's final game of their 2024–25 season, it was announced that Redwood Holdings Limited – a company of which Couhig and Trosclair are two directors – had agreed a sale in principle subject to "final legal technicalities".{{cite web |title=Reading takeover: American businessman Rob Couhig agrees deal to end Dai Yongge era |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8493nkjlyyo |website=BBC Sport |access-date=May 4, 2025 |date=May 3, 2025}} The deal includes Dai's shares in the club, as well as the club's Select Car Leasing Stadium and their training facility.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Henry |title=Reading takeover deal agreed with former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/sport/reading-takeover-deal-agreed-with-former-wycombe-owner-rob-couhig/ |access-date=May 4, 2025 |work=LBC |date=May 3, 2025 |language=en}} The purchase was completed on May 14.{{cite news |title=Reading takeover: EFL provides final clearance for Redwood Holdings Limited to take over the Royals |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13367780/reading-takeover-efl-provides-final-clearance-for-redwood-holdings-limited-to-take-over-the-royals |access-date=14 May 2025 |work=Sky Sports}}
= Other ventures =
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Couhig presented a show on The New 99.5FM covering New Orleans' recovery and rebuilding.
Personal life
Couhig married Susan Mullins, with whom he has two sons. He married Missy Aleman in 2003. His stepbrother is Sam A. LeBlanc III.
References
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{{Portalbar|Louisiana|Politics|Law|Business and Economics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Couhig, Rob}}
Category:American soccer chairmen and investors
Category:Louisiana Republicans
Category:People from St. Francisville, Louisiana
Category:Businesspeople from New Orleans
Category:American financial businesspeople