Jeff Bezos might finally get his hands on a sports team

Jeff Bezos is reportedly making an attempt to affix the membership of very wealthy Individuals shopping for stakes in U.Okay. soccer groups.

Bezos, alongside others together with Fb co-founder Eduardo Saverin, is trying to purchase not less than a 30% stake within the English soccer group Liverpool at a £1.35 billion valuation (round $1.8 billion), The Guardian reports. If the deal closes, will probably be the primary sports activities funding for the billionaire, though he reportedly previously checked out shopping for a stake in a U.S. soccer group.

Liverpool is among the most notable sports activities groups in Europe and is price about $6 billion, studies Forbes. Arguably, this group has the sort of model recognition within the U.Okay. because the Dallas Cowboys has within the U.S.

It appears no billionaire portfolio is full today with out a mega yacht and a sports activities group, so Bezos’ curiosity isn’t a surprise. There’s additionally one thing very romantic today about proudly owning an English soccer group after the success of TV exhibits like “Ted Lasso” and Ryan Reynolds’ FX present “Welcome to Wrexham” about his expertise proudly owning that English group. 

Different American billionaires on this membership embody Todd Boehly and Mark Walters (who additionally personal the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers) shopping for Chelsea; New York Jets co-owner (and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.Okay.) Woody Johnson shopping for Crystal Palace; Dan Friedkin taking a stake in Everton; and Invoice Foley main a bunch that additionally included Michael B. Jordan shopping for Bournemouth.

For that matter, proudly owning a stake in a U.Okay. sports activities group has additionally turn out to be a star cultural phenom. In addition to Reynolds and Jordan, Tom Brady bought a minority stake in Birmingham Metropolis. Will Ferrell has a minority stake in Leeds United, alongside Russell Westbrook and Michael Phelps.

Sky Sports activities had a narrative earlier this 12 months mapping out why so many Americans seem to be taking up U.Okay. soccer. It discovered that 13 out of 20 Premier League golf equipment (the highest soccer league in England) had American shareholders.

Soccer has turn out to be more and more well-liked within the U.S., and most of the prime sports activities franchises, just like the NFL and MLB, are both too costly or closed off to new consumers. It’s far more attainable to purchase right into a Premier League group.

Proudly owning a share in such a group additionally buys entry and proximity to a number of the most bankable and recognizable sports activities icons on Earth. Bezos over the previous few years — particularly since he married former information anchor and TV present host Lauren Sánchez — has turn out to be seen as extra of a cultural determine, slightly than solely a tech mogul.

So, with a internet price presently sitting at around $280 billion, maybe it’s truly greater than time that Bezos acquired himself a sports activities group. Amazon has additionally streamed some European soccer leagues previously — and Bezos has rising pursuits within the U.Okay. As we beforehand reported, his new AI firm Prometheus is reportedly looking to signal a lease to maneuver into London’s AI hub King’s Cross.