BlueCo is a consortium led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter, and Hansjörg Wyss.[1] 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.
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.[2][3]
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.[4][5] As a result, the Premier League disqualified Abramovich as a club director,[6] and he was forced to put the club up for sale.[7][8]
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.[1]
On 25 May 2022, the British government approved BlueCo's £4.25 billion takeover of Chelsea.[9] The transaction received all necessary approvals from the UK government, the Premier League, and other authorities and was completed on 30 May 2022.[10] 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.[1]
On 22 June 2023, BlueCo reached an agreement to become shareholders of French club RC Strasbourg Alsace.[2] 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.[11]
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