Los Angeles Dodgers co-owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly not only partnered under the Guggenheim Baseball Management umbrella to purchase the team from Frank McCourt, but they also purchased Phil Anschutz’s 27% stake in the L.A. Lakers last year.
More recently, Walter joined Boehly’s group in their bid to buy the Chelsea Football Club from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. He began the process of selling the Premier League club in the wake of being sanctioned by the British government after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Boehly’s bid had long been regarded as the favorite, and when Walter joined, it further strengthened their offer. At the beginning of the month, Boehly’s ownership group moved one step closer to becoming new owners by entering into an exclusive negotiating window with Abramovich.
According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Boehly, Walter and the remaining partners have signed a deal to buy Chelsea for $4.22 billion, with the purchase needing approval from the government and Premier League:
Todd Boehly has signed the purchase agreement to buy Chelsea in a deal worth up to £4billion and will be advanced for Government approval after a week of intense talks.
Boehly and his consortium now only face two more hurdles before they will officially take charge of the club from Roman Abramovich, with the American needing the green light from the UK Government and the Premier League.
Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British entrepreneur Jonathan Goldstein are also said to be part of the ownership group that includes Boehly and Walter. They staved off significant interest, including a late entrant by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
The Premier League is expected to approve the sale, but the United Kingdom government must first take action by issuing a new license for the change in ownership.
Chelsea won the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup and fields a young and talented roster that could only benefit from having strong leadership in the front office, which the Dodgers have become synonymous with.
Dodgers success under Walter, Boehly & Guggenehim
Since the Guggenheim Baseball Management group was officially introduced as Dodgers owners on May 2, 2012, the franchise has reached postseason nine times in 10 seasons, won three National League pennants (2017-18, ’20) and the 2020 World Series championship.
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