Chelsea FC could soon share owners with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, as bidders for the club have been reduced to a shortlist.
A consortium led by Dodgers and Lakers co-owner Todd Boehly, British real estate magnate Jonathan Goldstein, and Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss is believed to be in the lead, but there are still several well-heeled contenders for the Premier League club.
- British businessman and former Liverpool chairperson Sir Martin Broughton and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, along with Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, have also made the shortlist.
- Harris and Blitzer would have to sell their stakes in Premier League club Crystal Palace FC, should their bid be successful. American investor John Textor, who has reportedly been seeking to grow his 40% stake in Crystal Palace, could potentially buy their shares.
- Chicago Cubs owner Thomas Ricketts was expected to make the shortlist, despite backlash from Chelsea fans over Islamophobic statements made by his father, Joe Ricketts.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and the Saudi Media Group did not make the cut.
Abramovich Allowed to Supply Cash
The United Kingdom updated the special license governing club activities it issued following its seizure of Chelsea ownership from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Under the new license, the team can resume selling tickets to away games and cup matches, and Abramovich’s company can supply the club with up to $39.6 million to aid “cash flow and liquidity.”
