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Chelsea FC players after winning the Champions League (in Porto in May 2021)
Photo: David Ramos/AFP
Todd Boehly had to be patient to achieve his dream of owning his own Premier League club.
The US billionaire tried to buy Chelsea three years ago, but his offer fell short of the €2.6 billion allegedly called by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Boehly is also said to have been interested in Tottenham Hotspur, also without success.
In an interview with "Bloomberg TV", the investor revealed what appealed to him about the English high-gloss league.
He raved about the "best sport", the "best players" and a "media market that is developing strongly".
However, it is a complicated matter to buy into the Premier League – after all, the clubs are “not simply put up for auction”.
That is exactly what has now happened, which is why Boehly's dream of owning his own club in England is about to be fulfilled.
Following the UK government's sanctions against Abramovich for his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin (which Abramovich denies), Chelsea is up for sale to the most suitable bidder.
A consortium led by Boehly, co-owner of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, won the bid.
fortune of $4.5 billion
The takeover is said to cost a total of 4.25 billion pounds, the equivalent of almost five billion euros.
The UK government and the Premier League have yet to approve the deal.
Both are considered likely.
Boehly has
studied at the renowned London School of Economics, so it can be assumed that he has a feeling for his homeland and the environment of Chelsea FC.
Forbes magazine estimates his fortune at $4.5 billion (just under €4.3 billion).
He was President of the US financial services provider Guggenheim Partners and founded the investment company Eldridge Industries in 2015, which is involved in various industries;
among other things, the company owns the rights to Bruce Springsteen's songs.
The Dodgers and future Chelsea aren't Boehly's only involvements in the sport.
He also owns shares in the Los Angeles Sparks of the American women's basketball league WNBA and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.
The days of the »Roman Empire« are over
Under Boehly, the way Chelsea does business is likely to change radically.
Abramowitsch has invested around two billion euros in the club over the past 19 years, making it one of the most successful clubs in England and Europe with five championships and two Champions League wins, most recently last season with coach Thomas Tuchel.
In the days of the »Roman Empire«, Chelsea could afford to make huge losses on the transfer market.
Owners from the USA operate differently - they want to earn money with their commitment.
In the Premier League, this can be observed at Liverpool FC (Fenway Sports Group), Manchester United (Glazer family) and Arsenal FC (Stan Kroenke), among others.
Chelsea will probably also operate more sustainably under Boehly than before.
"The days of spending £200m in a summer on transfers may be over, but that doesn't mean Chelsea aren't in contention for the biggest titles," the Guardian recently surmised.
Boehly had success with the Los Angeles Dodgers
The London-born sports economist Stefan Szymanski from the University of Michigan sees it similarly.
“Boehly and his partners recognize that Chelsea must hold their position.
If there were problems, they would certainly make money available," he told SPIEGEL.
But according to Szymanski, the question is also: How much money exactly?
Reason for confidence for Chelsea fans is Boehly's success with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With partners including basketball legend Magic Johnson, he took over the crashed club in 2011 and restored it to its former glory.
He struck a lucrative deal with Time Warner Cable and started a regional sports network that broadcasts the Dodgers games.
The income was invested in the squad and the stadium.
In 2020, the club won the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
Boehly's Los Angeles work commemorates the rise of Liverpool FC under Fenway Sports Group.
The former English record champion was also brought out of the ordinary by its US owners.
Liverpool's success with winning the 2019 Champions League, the 2020 championship and a possible four titles this season is based on the fact that the owners have recruited the right staff for the operational business, above all sporting director Michael Edwards and coach Jürgen Klopp.
Sports economist Szymanski also sees a feeling for the best possible people in Boehly: »He knows what he is doing.
The Dodgers are a well run club.”
Abramovich confidants should keep posts
A comprehensive reorganization of the management team does not seem to be planned at Chelsea for the time being.
According to media reports, board member Bruce Buck and sports director Marina Granovskaia, both of whom are Abramovich confidants, should keep their posts.
Coach Thomas Tuchel is already in a strong position after winning the Champions League last season and his crisis management since the sanctions against Abramovich.
However, it is uncertain what Chelsea's team will look like in the future.
Antonio Rüdiger (to Real Madrid), Andreas Christensen and captain César Azpilicueta (both to FC Barcelona) will probably leave Chelsea in the summer.
Key players N'Golo Kanté, Jorginho, Thiago Silva and Marcos Alonso are entering their last year of contract.
Record-breaking Romelu Lukaku could say goodbye after just one season that has been depressing for him.
There is also speculation about Timo Werner's future.
Is there another Super League?
A conflict looms over an issue that has plagued European football since the continent's biggest clubs unsuccessfully tried to form a Super League a year ago.
Economist Szymanski considers it likely that the Boehly Group will at some point make a new attempt to lead Chelsea into such competition: "That's how it is with US owners.
You don't see the point of ascent and descent.«
In that case, Boehly's dream of owning a Premier League club could turn into a nightmare.
Chelsea's fans were among the loudest opponents in the Super League in spring 2021.