Jeff Bezos joins consortium buying 38 per cent stake in Liverpool FC

MUMBAI: Jeff Bezos is adding a little more red to his investment portfolio. The Amazon founder has entered professional sports ownership for the first time, joining a consortium that has acquired roughly a 38 per cent minority stake in Liverpool Football Club.

The investment has been made through 1892 Holdings, a consortium led by former Queens Park Rangers co-owner Amit Bhatia. It also includes Bezos, the family office of Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and the Mittal Family Trusts, according to The Athletic.

The deal gives the group a sizeable slice of Liverpool, but not the keys to Anfield. Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which remains the club’s majority owner, will retain operational control.

Bezos’ investment comes through K5 Sports, although unlike some of the other investors, he will not take a seat on Liverpool’s board. Bryan Baum of K5 Sports and Elaine Saverin will join Bhatia on the board under the arrangement, while Bhatia is also set to become the club’s vice-chairman.

The roughly 38 per cent holding is higher than earlier estimates, which had suggested the consortium would acquire somewhere between 30 per cent and one-third of Liverpool.

For FSG, the transaction brings additional investors into the ownership structure while leaving its control intact. The group said the deal is intended to support Liverpool’s longer-term growth and brings investors with experience spanning business, technology and investment.

There is, however, another clause keeping the takeover talk alive. 1892 Holdings has an option to pursue a controlling stake within the next 12 months. That does not mean a takeover has been agreed or will necessarily happen, but it leaves the door open for the consortium to seek a bigger role.

Bhatia said the investment reflects the consortium’s confidence in Liverpool and its existing leadership.

For Bezos, meanwhile, the deal marks a new playing field. The billionaire’s entry into Liverpool adds one of the world’s best-known football clubs to his investment portfolio and places him among a growing group of technology and business billionaires turning their attention to professional sports.

For now, though, the equation at Liverpool remains unchanged: FSG has the majority, Bezos has a minority, and Anfield still has the same owners calling the shots.