https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/-b989190.html
Chelsea: Nick Candy submits bid of over ￡2bn in detailed proposal of
restructure
By James Robson - 18 Mar 2022
Read the statement below...
London: Friday 18th March 2022 – British businessman and lifelong
Chelesa fan Nick Candy has submitted a bid of over ￡2 billion to acquire
Chelsea Football Club with a world-class consortium of global investors,
representative of the club's global status and fan base.
The Blue Football Consortium brings together a wealth of global sports,
technology, strategic planning, real estate, financial and management
expertise, access to capital and global resources to ensure that Chelsea
can compete on the world stage for years to come.
With global investors including South Korea's Hana Financial Group and C&P
Sports Group, Mr Candy's consortium composition matches his vision for the
club: to combine the global outlook required to compete in a global game,
whilst ensuring the values, heritage and legacy of this highly respected
club are preserved for future generations.
Mr Candy believes the proposed offer provides the ability to transfer
stewardship of Chelsea seamlessly and efficiently, at an attractive
valuation, to a committed and credible group with considerable global
resources to continue the development of the club which has been so
successful since 2003.
The group will be visible and responsible shareholders and through Mr
Candy in particular, the consortium will have a truly local, on-the-ground
presence and an inherent understanding of the club's rich heritage from a
supporter with a lifelong affinity to the club.
https://i.imgur.com/ap3xOzK.jpg
Nick Candy commented:
“Chelsea is one of the most iconic and successful professional football
clubs in the world, with a rich heritage, global following, and a highly
valuable brand. Football clubs are vitally important community and
cultural assets, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give
football back to the fans and put them at the heart of the operations and
strategy of a leading global football club. I believe Chelsea has all of
the fundamentals to become the most valuable and respected sports club in
the world and a force for the greater good in everything it does.”
== Club stewardship over club ownership ==
The founding principle of the Blue Football consortium is that there are
no true owners in professional football, only temporary custodians, and it
is imperative that the concerns and views of supporters, who are the
constant resence, are front and centre of management priorities. As the
new custodians of Chelsea, this consortium can further develop the club
but also seek to preserve the history, legacy and culture and that has
been built at Chelsea to the great benefit of English football and the
city of London.
== Best practice reform for English football ==
The Blue Football consortium will leverage Chelsea Football Club's reach
and influence to promote English football reform and introduce measures
which protect fans and clubs – as the pillars of local communities –
from unfit ownership.
Under this consortium's leadership, Chelsea will set the gold standard for
management of a community linked professional football club. In doing so,
it will be guided by the best practice recommendations for improving
governance, ownership and financial sustainability of football clubs as
set out in the independent Fan-Led Review into Football Governance by
Tracy Crouch MP, and work to promote community involvement and grass roots
infrastructure.
== New era of fan involvement in Premier League clubs ==
As part of its commitment to fan-centre stewardship, the consortium will:
Provide an opportunity for fans to acquire a share of the economic and
voting rights in the club.
Forgive the outstanding balance of the loan from the club to Chelsea Pitch
Owners plc, so that Stamford Bridge is secured by and for Chelsea's
supporters.
Grant a “Golden Share” to Chelsea supporters to protect key items of
club heritage.
Create an advisory board of fan representatives to engage in regular
constructive dialogue with supporters on issues of supporter interest
including fair ticketing, stadium development, and strategic projects.
Guarantee that Chelsea will not exit any existing sporting structures
without the engagement of key stakeholders, including fans at the
forefront.
== Continued investment in key assets and social impact ==
This leadership will ensure continued financial support for the highly
successful Chelsea's women's team and Chelsea Academy, and for player
welfare including mental health and further education opportunities. It is
also committed to continuing and building on the legacy of the Chelsea's
Foundations outstanding community work and will drive meaningful social
impact.
== New world-class stadium ==
A new world-class stadium will be delivered at Stamford Bridge that will
reimagine the spectator experience, transform the revenue profile of the
club, and set a new benchmark in stadium design worthy of the Chelsea's
globally celebrated reputation, whilst creating a major new landmark for
London.
https://i.imgur.com/ZMJ53v5.jpg
By increasing capacity and stadium utilisation at Stamford Bridge, this
will ensure more fans can support the club in the stadium at affordable
prices and provide wider access and options for premium seating and
hospitality. As an ownership group with both international and London real
estate expertise, Mr Candy's consortium is well placed to progress and
fund this landmark development and leverage its experience of successful
large-scale real estate projects to add significant value.