Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Boehly eyes more bucks than bang...
NEW Chelsea owner Todd Boehly came out with some interesting views about the Premier League’s untapped potential at the Superreturn International private equity conference in Berlin last week.
“They don’t realise how big their opportunity is,” he told his fellow money-men, arguing that “the global footprint of this sport is really underdeveloped” and needs “an American mentality” to fully realise its financial possibilities.
“Let’s get a hold of our destiny and think about how to optimise this,” was his barnstorming message to fellow private equity sharks.
Boehly hasn’t raised £4billion with other American venture capitalists to sit back and watch some nice football at Stamford Bridge, has he?
A trend is emerging among America’s richest investors who, realising they have maxed out their earnings on American football, want to use the same methods to organise and sell ‘soccer’s’ untold riches.
Everton could be the next club taken over by Americans, and if the State-run clubs come on side with them, it might not be long before US owners have a big enough majority to take over the Premier League decision-making.
One-off fixtures played in Baltimore and Beijing anyone?