Hull City owner Ilicali discusses life, media, and club ownership
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 17, 2026, 11:04 AM
Last updated Aug 17, 2026
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali spoke with BBC Radio Humberside in a three-part interview prior to his club's first Premier League match in nine years. He detailed his upbringing in Turkey and his rise as a media mogul, earning a reputation for shows like Deal or No Deal, which he credits for changing his life. Despite initial poor ratings for the show, Ilicali reworked the format after studying international versions, ultimately improving its success. He shared insights into his journey in media and the transition to football club ownership since acquiring Hull in 2022.
- •Ilicali discussed his upbringing in Erzurum, Turkey.
- •The interview precedes Hull City's Premier League opener.
- •He improved Deal or No Deal's format after poor ratings.
- •Ilicali became known as 'Turkey's Simon Cowell'.
- •He has owned Hull City since 2022.
- 11:04 AMYahoo Sports — 'Deal or no Deal changed my life!' - Hull owner Ilicali
"Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has been chatting to BBC Radio Humberside in a three-part feature interview where he discussed how he became one of Turkey's most popular TV stars and the owner of a Premier League football club. The passionate Turkish media mogul shared his story in a wide-ranging chat ahead of his clubs' first top-flight game in nine years and his first since buying them in 2022. In the first part released on Friday, Ilicali spoke about his upbringing in Turkey's northeast Erzurum Province and his formative years in media.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:46 PMShop window or new chance - what next for Grealish?
EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:46 PMVan Dijk praises Liverpool's Jacquet, Araújo- EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:39 PMHull's active transfer window before Premier League return - will they stay up?
EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:30 PMLiverpool player had ‘already chosen his shirt number’ at new club before FSG pulled the plug
EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:15 PMManchester United 2026/27 Premier League preview: Carrick can build on his impressive start
EPL•Aug 17, 2026, 1:11 PMBenzema in talks to end Al-Hilal deal, says paper