TAKING THEIR SHOT

Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton Offer Millions to Back British Bid for Chelsea FC

The sports superstars have reportedly pledged $26 million to one of three shortlisted bids for Chelsea FC, owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

Talk about big-name backers. Tennis superstar Serena Williams and Sir Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, have reportedly pledged £10 million ($13 million) each toward a British-backed bid for Chelsea FC. The soccer club is owned by the sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has put it up for sale to safeguard its future—but will not himself receive any of the proceeds. Sky News reported that Williams and Hamilton were backing the bid led by the British businessman Martin Broughton, one of three bids on a shortlist drawn up by Abramovich and his advisers at the U.S. merchant bank Raine Group. They are up against rival bids led by the American Todd Boehly, part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Steve Pagliuca, co-owner of the Boston Celtics. The club is expected to fetch around $3.5 billion, the highest price ever paid for a sports team.