BlueCo
{{short description|British-based holding company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = BlueCo
| logo =
| type = Holding company
| industry = {{ubl|Sports|Sports services}}
| founded = 2022
| founder = {{ubl|Todd Boehly|Clearlake Capital|Mark Walter|Hansjörg Wyss}}
| owner =
| key_people = {{ubl|Todd Boehly|Behdad Eghbali|José E. Feliciano}}
| subsid = {{ubl|Chelsea F.C. (100%)|RC Strasbourg Alsace (99.97%)}}
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BlueCo is a consortium led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter, and Hansjörg Wyss.{{Cite web |title=Club statement {{!}} Official Site {{!}} Chelsea Football Club |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/05/06/club-statement |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=ChelseaFC}} The group was formed as the investment vehicle for the takeover of Premier League football club Chelsea F.C. in 2022. Its name is derived from the home colour of Chelsea, its flagship football club, and it acts as the club's parent company.
History
Founded in 2022, BlueCo is a consortium that purchased Chelsea in 2022. It is led by Todd Boehly, chairman and CEO of Eldridge Industries, and Clearlake Capital, and it also included Hansjörg Wyss, founder of the Wyss Foundation, and Mark Walter, co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim Partners. Walter and Boehly are owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Sparks. BlueCo acquired Ligue 1 football club RC Strasbourg Alsace a year later to start multi-club ownership.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=Official statement: BlueCo signs agreement to become the new shareholders of Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace – Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace |url=https://www.rcstrasbourgalsace.fr/en/official-statement-blueco-signs-agreement-to-become-the-new-shareholders-of-racing-club-de-strasbourg-alsace/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Chelsea owners BlueCo start multi-club ownership with Racing Strasbourg buy |url=https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2023/06/23/chelsea-owners-blueco-start-multi-club-ownership-racing-strasbourg-buy/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Inside World Football |language=en-GB}}
{{Location map+ |Europe |float=right |width=350 |caption=Location of BlueCo clubs |places=
{{Location map~ |Europe |lat=51.508672 |long=-0.117268 |label=
|mark=Blue pog.svg |position=left}}{{Location map~ |Europe |lat=48.560064 |long=7.754969 |label=
|mark=Blue pog.svg |position=right}}}}
Owned clubs
=Chelsea F.C.=
In March 2022, former Chelsea F.C. owner, Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, was sanctioned by Western governments in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite news |date=10 March 2022 |title=Ukraine war: Roman Abramovich sanctioned by UK |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60690362 |access-date=10 March 2022}}{{Cite news |last1=Massoudi |first1=Arash |last2=Hughes |first2=Laura |last3=Agini |first3=Samuel |date=2022-03-10 |title=Roman Abramovich hit with sanctions by UK |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/66540723-08fa-439b-acaa-e74265aa0dce |access-date=2022-03-10}} As a result, the Premier League disqualified Abramovich as a club director,{{Cite news |title=Abramovich disqualified as Chelsea director |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60720343 |access-date=2022-03-12}} and he was forced to put the club up for sale.{{Cite news |title=Abramovich says he will sell Chelsea |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60585081 |access-date=2 March 2022}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2 March 2022 |title=Roman Abramovich confirms he is selling Chelsea – donating net proceeds to victims of war in Ukraine |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/03/02/roman-abramovich-confirms-selling-chelesa-donating-net-proceeds/ |access-date=2 March 2022 |issn=0307-1235}}
On 7 May 2022, Chelsea confirmed that terms had been agreed for a new ownership group to acquire the club. The group later known as BlueCo was led by Todd Boehly, chairman and CEO of Eldridge Industries, and Clearlake Capital, it also included Hansjörg Wyss, founder of the Wyss Foundation, and Mark Walter, co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim Partners. Walter and Boehly are owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Sparks.
On 25 May 2022, the British government approved BlueCo's £4.25 billion takeover of Chelsea.{{cite web|title=Chelsea takeover: Todd Boehly's £4.25bn bid approved by government as Roman Abramovich era set to end|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12620164/chelsea-takeover-todd-boehlys-4-25bn-bid-approved-by-government-as-roman-abramovich-era-set-to-end|date=25 May 2022|work=Sky Sports}} The transaction received all necessary approvals from the UK government, the Premier League, and other authorities and was completed on 30 May 2022.{{cite news |date=30 May 2022 |title=Consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completes acquisition of Chelsea Football Club |publisher=Chelsea FC |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/consortium-led-by-todd-boehly-and-clearlake-capital-completes-ac |access-date=12 July 2022}} After the takeover, BlueCo promised to commit £1.75 billion in further investment in the club home stadium Stamford Bridge, the academy, the women's team, academy and women's team home stadium Kingsmeadow and Chelsea Foundation.
=RC Strasbourg Alsace=
On 22 June 2023, BlueCo reached an agreement to become shareholders of French club RC Strasbourg Alsace. The agreement would see BlueCo invest in Strasbourg's first teams and academy. It was reported that the consortium had close to a 100% ownership stake in the club, having paid €75 million.{{Cite news |title=Chelsea owners agree to become shareholders of French club Strasbourg |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/chelsea-owners-agree-become-shareholders-french-club-strasbourg-2023-06-22/ |language=en |work=Reuters |access-date=2023-07-04}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{BlueCo}}
{{Chelsea F.C.}}
{{RC Strasbourg Alsace}}
Category:Chelsea F.C. chairmen and investors
Category:Companies based in London