Chelsea owner Todd Boehly spoke about several topics, including changes to Premier League rules and the challenges the club faces, at the Financial Times’ Business of Football summit.
Boehly and Clearlake Capital, led by Behdad Eghbali, took control of Chelsea in May 2022 for £4.25bn, after Roman Abramovich had his UK assets frozen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Under Boehly’s ownership, Chelsea has spent over £1bn on new players, but results have been disappointing. The team has dropped down the Premier League standings, failed to qualify for the Champions League, and has not added to the silverware Abramovich won during his time in charge.
Boehly addressed the recent fan protests against the club’s leadership. He said, “The sooner you learn you can’t make everyone happy all the time, the better. We’re just trying to execute a plan, and while things aren’t always straightforward, we are heading in the right direction.”
He also explained that his team is focused on both short-term and long-term goals, saying, “It’s a balancing act. Strikers are hard to find, and it’s not as simple as going into a store and picking one out. It’s a special skill and mindset.”
Boehly, who has a personal net worth of £6.6bn, also owns the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
In his speech, he suggested a change to the Premier League’s rules to improve competitiveness between the Championship and the top division. He pointed out that relegation is difficult to predict and said, “If everyone were equal, there would be a 15 percent chance of relegation. But not all teams are equal, so we need to find the best way to address this issue.”
