The Jeff Bezos-backed consortium led by Indian businessman and former QPR co-owner Amit Bhatia has finalised its deal with Fenway Sports Group to become minority owners in Liverpool Football Club, Liverpool’s owner FSG confirmed over the weekend.
The deal is the Amazon founder’s first investment in a sports property, and the consortium will buy roughly one-third of the Premier League club in a deal that values the club at around £5.5bn.
FSG have stated that they have no intention of exiting Liverpool, and that the deal will not impact operational control, strategy or transfer budget, although sources close to the club have claimed that Bezos’ investment group has an option to become the majority shareholder of Liverpool at a valuation of around £6bn in the next 12 months. The largest contribution to the minority investment – reportedly more than $1 billion – comes from the firm K5 Global. Bezos is the lead investor in the K5 fund.
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The consortium behind the deal, 1892 Holdings, is managed by Bhatia, and also includes K5 Sports and EE Capital, the family office of Elaine and Eduardo Saverin. Sacerin is a co-founder of Facebook.
Bhatia will serve as Liverpool’s new vice chairman on a new, expanded board. Bezos will at his point not have a seat on the board, but Bryan Baum from K5 Sports and Elaine Saverin both will, club sources claim, although the investment group has so far declined to comment.
“Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club’s long-term interests in mind. That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world. As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special,” FSG President Mike Gordon said in a press release.
Bezos, who made his fortune as the founder of Amazon, has a net worth of $272 billion and is the world’s third richest man, according to Forbes. He has previously explored ownership in the NFL’s Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks.
