Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has held talks about joining the consortium seeking to buy around 30% of Liverpool FC. The group, led by former Queens Park Rangers co-owner Amit Bhatia, has made a provisional offer of £1.35bn to acquire a stake from Fenway Sports Group (FSG). Bezos, with a personal fortune of approximately $257bn according to Forbes, is the fourth richest person in the world.
Bezos's interest in sports franchises
The 62-year-old has previously explored bids for NFL franchises Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders without completing a deal, but has never before looked at investing in the Premier League. Sources indicate that any deal with Bhatia's consortium would see Bezos receive equity in Liverpool.
Amazon's sports broadcasting expansion
Bezos is executive chairman of Amazon, having stepped down as CEO five years ago. Under his leadership, Amazon has diversified as an entertainment provider, acquiring numerous sports rights for its streaming service. Amazon held live UK rights for 20 Premier League games per season for six years until the end of last year, and broadcasts the Champions League in several European countries, as well as NFL in the US.
Details of the bid and consortium
The Bhatia bid values Liverpool at around £4.5bn, higher than Manchester United's valuation when Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought 25% of the club two years ago. Bhatia is believed to have secured financial backing from his father-in-law, Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, whose family wealth is estimated at around £23bn. Bhatia transferred his shares in QPR to fellow owner Ruben Gnanalingam yesterday to pave the way for his consortium's prospective investment in Liverpool.
FSG confirms talks
An FSG spokesperson confirmed the talks, stating: "An investment consortium led, managed, and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club." FSG previously sold 3% of the club to US private equity firm Dynasty Equity in 2023. A spokesperson for Bhatia declined to comment.
