Todd Boehly has brushed off fan protests against him and his fellow Chelsea owners, insisting that the opprobrium sent his way in recent weeks is ‘par for the course.’
Supporters made their dissatisfaction with Clearlake Capital, Boehly, and Behdad Eghbali clear for all to see as an estimated 200 of them gathered outside Stamford Bridge before their side’s 4-0 win over Southampton. Boehly was pictured on a banner clutching a wad of notes amid complaints over his links with ticket reseller Vivid Seats, while another banner accused ownership vehicle BlueCo of crimes against Chelsea.
Chants for Roman Abramovich, who sold Chelsea to the consortium in the summer of 2022 after being sanctioned by the British government, were also heard. His nearly two decades of ownership brought remarkable success to west London, including two Champions League titles, and major honors have eluded the club since the change of ownership.
When asked how it felt to hear fans chant for Abramovich, Boehly told the Financial Times Football Business Summit, ‘I think it’s par for the course. The reality is the sooner you learn you’re not going to keep all the people happy all the time, freedom shows up from that.’
‘You’re just trying to get on a plan, execute a plan, recognizing things aren’t linear but as long as you’re trending in the right direction you feel better. The trend is in the right direction and that’s the thing that really matters.’
Boehly and his fellow owners have earned a reputation for disrupting market norms, notably by exploiting a loophole in Premier League rules that allowed them to amortize high-profile acquisitions’ contracts beyond the usual five-year limits. He acknowledged a financial upside but emphasized the focus on building a squad for the long term.
‘You’re always focused on how do you keep something together for a very long time,’ Boehly said, adding the need to find consistent and reliable players.
Despite a confident assessment of the club’s position, Boehly admitted that ‘December was peak’ for the team, and questioned whether the ownership structure would be the same in 12 months. However, he insisted that there have been positive discussions about the future, saying, ‘We’ve agreed on a strategy, we’ve agreed on a way forward.’
