Boehly, Clearlake happy to maintain 'status quo' but stadium issue could prove divisive

03/25/2025 02:50 AM

The Todd has spoken

In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg TV while speaking at a conference in Hong Kong, Todd Boehly has once again played down rumors of a rift between the two main halves of the Chelsea ownership group, though he admitted that as much as they all may be aligned, the stadium issue could prove divisive eventually.

Echoing what he said last month at some other conference ("we have agreed on a strategy and a way forward and stuff is getting done"), Boehly has put much of the blame for the supposed ownership drama on the media, adding that the current situation is stable and that that they are happy to maintain the status quo.

"What the media writes about and talks about is exciting but I just don't think it's realistic. [We] have been aligned on what we're trying to do and we're trying to build. [...] If you look at what's actually happening, and don't follow the shiny light, you'll see that there's course stability. And I think we're executing on a plan that ultimately will have Chelsea where it belongs."

"[And in terms of ownership structure], the status quo is something that's just fine. I think we've learned from each other and I think we're really going to be able to work it out any which way. [...] What's been written and what's been talked about is much more drama than what is actually happening."

There is one big issue however facing the ownership group that could cause a problem, namely the stadium issue.

As much as the new ownership group have reshaped the team top to bottom and shuffled and then reshuffled the cards behinds the scenes — for better or worse — we seem to be no closer to even starting to address the stadium "boondoggle" than three years ago.

And that could in fact cause an irreparable rift among the powers that be, though don't expect it anytime soon if Boehly's 20-year timeframe is anything to go by...

"We have to think about long-term what we're trying to accomplish. We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out. And I think that's going to be where we're either aligned ... or we ultimately decide go our different ways."

"Sustained [stadium] development is going on around the world right now [and] sporting infrastructure is going to be a big thing. We have 16-20 years to figure it out. Obviously, inside of London it's really complex. It's not as if we're building something in the middle of a rural environment. [But] long-term, I think we're going to be building something new and we'll figure it out."

-Todd Boehly; source: Bloomberg

Hold on... 16-20 years?! No rush then.