- According to sources, both Hamilton and Serena Williams have pledged an estimated £10 million to the bid
- If the Broughton sale goes through, League rules require Harris and Blitzer to sell their Crystal Palace stake before becoming Chelsea shareholders
- Williams is also a shareholder in Angel City FC of Los Angeles, which competes in the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States
- Raine Group, a US bank, is in charge of the club’s selling after the UK government put sanctions on Abramovich
According to a source who spoke to Reuters on Thursday, Serena Williams of tennis and Lewis Hamilton a Formula One driver have joined Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea.
Former Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton leads the partnership with which they are said to be involved.
When Hamilton and Serena Williams bumbed into easc other at Beverly Hills jewelry store. Photo; Daily mail
According to the PA news agency, the former British Airways chairman ” believes his bid to buy Chelsea would give the most immediate cash injection” into the club.
Crystal Palace co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have also been widely connected with joining Broughton’s bid, with the duo apparently set for a controlling stake if successful.
According to sources, each of the two athletes will donate an estimated £10 million to the bid after becoming “known investors” in different sports.
Boston Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca and LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly oppose that bid, while the Ricketts family’s fourth option is no longer in the running after withdrawing their bid.
Hamilton, 37, is a seven-time Formula One world champion preparing for this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with his Mercedes team.
Serena Williams, 40, has won 23 Grand Slam titles and held the WTA No. 1 ranking for 319 weeks during her tennis career.
Hamilton’sHamilton’s involvement in Broughton’sBroughton’s offer was confirmed by a spokesperson for the 37-year-old Formula One driver.
“We can confirm that Lewis has joined the Sir Martin Broughton bid,” a spokesperson for Hamilton told the PA news agency.
According to a source close to the group, the inclusion of Hamilton and Williams is a serious investment choice based on their experience in developing worldwide sports brands.
Williams recently announced an investment in a British sports technology startup called Opensponsorship, which describes itself as an “influencer marketing agency platform” through Serena Ventures, her venture capital fund.
F1 star Lewis Hailton (left), Tennis star Serena Williams (right) Photo: Eurosport
Williams is also a shareholder in Angel City FC of Los Angeles, which competes in the National Women’sWomen’s Soccer League in the United States.
They also noted that the pair’s involvement was not the first time well-known athletes had funded a Premier League club; NBA star LeBron James has been a minor shareholder in Liverpool for more than a decade.
If the Broughton deal is successful, League rules mandate that Harris and Blitzer must sell their Crystal Palace interest before becoming part owners of Chelsea.
The Rogers family, who own the $38 billion market cap Canadian media business Rogers Communications, and the Tsai family, who own two Taiwanese sports teams, are part of the consortium.
Raine Group, a US bank, is in charge of the club’s sales dueue to the apparent government sanctions.
Current owner Roman Abramovich will not profit from Chelsea’s sale, but he had already promised to write down the club’s £1.5 billion debt.
The club has been granted a special license that allows it to continue functioning under strict conditions.
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