FSG sell minority stake in Liverpool to Bezos-backed consortium
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Liverpool's owners have agreed to sell around a third of the club to a consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.The deal will see Bezos participate in an investor group of a syndicate which is led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and until recently a shareholder in Championship club Queens Park Rangers. This marks his first foray into sports ownership, although he will not join Liverpool's board as Bhatia will be vice-chair.
Their investment in Liverpool values the club somewhere in the region of £6bn ($6-7bn), making it one of the sport's richest-ever deals. Image: Amazon founder Bezos has an estimated fortune of over £207bn 'Investment will enhance objectives on and off the pitch'FSG says the deal "supports Liverpool's long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from across global business, technology, and investment.
"The consortium partners will work with FSG and the club's leadership team to evaluate opportunities that enhance the club's objectives on and off the pitch"FSG continues to retain majority ownership and operational control of Liverpool."Mike Gordon, FSG president, said: "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."Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together."Bhatia said the consortium was "proud to be investing in Liverpool".Key questions answered over consortiumSky Sports takes a look at some of the key questions surrounding the sale of a minority stake in Liverpool...Who are Bhatia and Bezos?Bhatia is a 46-year-old British Indian entrepreneur who has an investment banking background.He currently manages a multi-asset investment firm called AyBe Capital, which invests in a range of diversified sectors including technology, media, property and real estate, consumer retail, and health.Bhatia is married to Vanisha Mittal Bhatia, who is the daughter of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.Bezos is one of the most famous businessmen in the world and the owner of e-commerce giant Amazon, which he founded in 1994 out of his Seattle garage.His other investments include aerospace company Blue Origin and venture capital firm Nash Holdings, which is the ownership vehicle for The Washington Post.For more on why FSG want to sell a stake and Liverpool's ownership structure, click here.