Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
It has been reported on Monday evening that Chelsea shareholders Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are planning to sell their stakes in the club to Clearlake. We all know about Boehly, but who is Walter?
As things stand, Clearlake own around 61.5% of Chelsea. But that has always been expected to change in 2027, five years after Todd Boehly led a consortium of investors that bought Chelsea for £2.5bn in 2022.
Todd Boehly and Mark Walter graphic
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The three remaining stakes, shared equally at 12.7%, are seemingly up for grabs. Clearlake – fronted by Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano – could now raise their stakes to a huge 87% in the coming months.
That is because, according to The Financial Times, Boehly and Mark Walter want to sell their stake. Both own an equal 12.7%, while Hansjorg Wyss owns the remaining 12.7%. Boehly is the club’s chairman.
Despite his smaller stake, he has been the man running things, though Eghbali’s involvement has grown in recent years. Now, Clearlake want to take over. But who is Walter and why does he want to sell up?
Who is sports tycoon Mark Walter and what is his involvement?
An American billionaire, Walter found his fame after founding Guggenheim Partners in the 1990s. It is a global financial services company, which he has now expanded into a business worth a massive $300bn.
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The 66-year-old also founded and owns TWG Global, which includes insurance, corporate lending, AI technology and real estate. When it comes to sport, Walter is a big player across the pond in America.
He has sold his controlling stake in NBA giants the Los Angeles Lakers for a massive $12.5m. But in his portfolio, Walter still boasts the LA Dodgers, and co-owns WNBA side Los Angeles Sparks.
It doesn’t stop there. Walter also founded professional women’s hockey in America and has many investments in NASCAR and INDYCAR. His involvement at Chelsea has been largely passive since 2022.
Why Walter wants to sell as Clearlake closes in on near-90% stake
According to the FT, Walter has decided to sell some of his biggest sporting assets because his business empire is facing regulatory scrutiny. US prosecutors are investigating and probing his companies.
That is why Walter is keen to sell his Chelsea stake. It is unclear how much Walter’s 12.8% stake is worth, but Forbes gives some insight into how much the London club is currently worth on the global scale.
They say Chelsea is currently the ninth-most valuable club in the world, according to Forbes, at a huge $4.2bn. If Walter was to sell his stake, based on that valuation, he would cash in at around $537.6m.
That is of course, before any taxes or other fees are removed. Recently, Liverpool sold a third of their club to a consortium ran by Amit Bhatia at a valuation of $7bn. Forbes rated Liverpool in May at $6.2bn.