Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly’s potential acquisition of The Telegraph is expected to face little resistance from the Premier League or UK government, despite wider scrutiny over media ownership.
Todd Boehly’s bid to buy The Telegraph in partnership with newspaper executive David Montgomery is unlikely to be challenged by either the Premier League or the UK government. Unlike previous cases — such as the blocked BSkyB-Manchester United deal in 1999 — Boehly’s interest does not involve a rights-holding broadcaster, and there are no rules preventing a football club owner from owning a national newspaper.
While scrutiny is expected, insiders say there are no major obstacles to the deal, though the current owners, RedBird IMI, are holding firm on their £500 million valuation. Boehly and Montgomery reportedly hope to pay less, with The Telegraph describing the sale process as “the newspaper auction from hell.” The bid could also signal a potential split between Boehly and Chelsea’s majority owners, Clearlake Capital, as tensions grow over the club’s future stadium plans.
