Jeff Bezos Nears Deal for 30% Stake in Liverpool FC: Report

A consortium that includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly close to acquiring roughly a one-third stake in Liverpool Football Club, according to Sky News, potentially adding Bezos to the growing group of billionaires investing in major sports franchises.

The investment group is being led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, and also includes Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, Sky News reported Monday. Together, the investors would value Liverpool at approximately $6 billion, with an announcement on a potential transaction expected as soon as this week.

At a $6.2 billion valuation, Liverpool is currently ranked as the fourth-most-valuable soccer club in the world. It trails Real Madrid at $9.5 billion, Barcelona at $7.5 billion and fellow Premier League club Manchester United at $7.2 billion. Liverpool and Fenway Sports Group, the investment company that owns the club, had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Bezos is the world’s third-richest person, with an estimated fortune of $280.6 billion as of Monday morning. Saverin, who co-founded Facebook with Harvard classmate Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, ranks 67th globally with an estimated $33 billion fortune. Mittal, the executive chairman of steel and mining company ArcelorMittal, is worth an estimated $33.6 billion.

The reported Liverpool investment would not be Bezos’ first connection to professional sports ownership discussions. He was previously linked to the Seattle Seahawks and was reportedly interested in purchasing the NFL team as early as 2019. The Seahawks were sold last month to an investment group led by billionaire Vinod Khosla for $9.6 billion, setting a record price for an NFL franchise.

Bezos’ reported interest in Liverpool comes amid a broader wave of billionaire investment in professional sports. An investment group involving billionaire and former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban bought a minority stake in the Athletics last month, although the value of that equity has not been disclosed. Tom Dundon, who became the majority owner of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018, purchased the Portland Trail Blazers for $4 billion in March.

Other major sports transactions have also involved record valuations. Mark Walter acquired the Los Angeles Lakers for $10 billion last year, while a group led by Bill Chisholm purchased the Boston Celtics in a deal valued at $6.1 billion.