Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has sparked concerns that he may be planning for life away from Stamford Bridge after making a significant investment in cricket.
The American billionaire has agreed to acquire a 49% stake in the Trent Rockets for £40 million, following the ECB’s recent auction of The Hundred franchise.
Todd Boehly Buys Stake in Trent Rockets
Boehly has entered into an exclusivity period with Nottingham County Cricket Club, who will retain their 51% controlling stake.
The investment will be made through Cain International, a company he co-owns with Chelsea director Jonathan Goldstein.
This latest venture raises questions about Boehly’s long-term commitment to Chelsea, especially after he was replaced as chairman by Behdad Eghbali of Clearlake Capital in 2024.
Todd Boehly has purchased a 49% stake in Trent Rockets for close to £40 million 📝 pic.twitter.com/hgiKklI8HV
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 11, 2025
Competition for Cricket Investments
Boehly succeeded in securing a deal despite competition from the Glazer family—owners of Manchester United—and CVC Capital Partners, who made unsuccessful bids for other cricket franchises.
Meanwhile, RPSG Group, who own the IPL team Lucknow Super Giants, have secured a majority stake in the Manchester Originals with a £100m bid.
Other notable investments in The Hundred include:
- Sunrisers Hyderabad acquiring a 100% stake in Northern Superchargers.
- Knighthead Capital investing £40m in Birmingham Phoenix.
- The Ambanis, owners of Mumbai Indians, taking a minority stake in Oval Invincibles.
The Southern Brave remains the only franchise yet to be auctioned, with an update expected within the next 24 hours.
Boehly’s Move and Chelsea’s Future
The Raine Group, advised by Deloitte, conducted the auction. Raine played a key role in the sale of Chelsea to Boehly and his partners in 2022, as well as facilitating INEOS’s acquisition of a 25% stake in Manchester United in late 2024.
Initially, the ECB set a minimum target of £350 million for the auction. Proceeds from the sales will be distributed among the 18 top counties and Lord’s Marylebone Cricket Club, with 10% allocated to grassroots cricket.
Boehly’s latest move has led to speculation over whether his focus is shifting away from Chelsea and whether his role at the club could diminish further in the coming years.
For now, Chelsea fans will be watching closely to see how his new cricket venture impacts his leadership at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea under Todd Boehly:
3 seasons
6 managers
£1.1 billion spent
0 trophies pic.twitter.com/AaAnUqyoQ6— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) February 8, 2025
