“As we enter the next phase of the process, we are sharing a list of specific commitments that give fans a pivotal role in protecting Chelsea’s heritage and building for future success.
“We will continue to discuss our ambitions for the club with fans and the wider football community in the coming days.”
They then listed those commitments, saying they would:
- Make no change to the club’s name, badge and crest, or Chelsea blue, without the consent of supporters.
- Never participate in a European Super League and always protect the integrity and heritage of Chelsea F.C.
- Commit the resources necessary across all levels of the club to continue winning trophies, including investing in the first team, experienced football leadership and the Academy.
- Put diversity and inclusion at the heart of the club and fight against any form of discrimination or inequality.
- Create an Advisory Committee with diverse representation to ensure our decisions are informed by: a former men’s and women’s first team player, members of the CST and Chelsea Pitch Owners, and influential community leaders.
- Explore every option to redevelop Stamford Bridge and do everything in our power to keep playing in this historic stadium.
- Match the current commitment to Chelsea F.C. Women and increase the number of women’s matches played at Stamford Bridge.
- Continue the vital charitable work of the Chelsea Foundation, seeking to use the power of football and sport to motivate, educate and inspire.
The Ricketts family, like the three other Chelsea bidders, will travel to London this week for fresh talks with supporter groups and Chelsea executives, with Tom Ricketts having stressed his desire to try to convince fans that he and his family would “put diversity and inclusion at the heart of the club”.
But, other than having to reassure fans that the anti-Muslim emails of their patriarch and comments attributed to other family members do not represent the views of those involved in the Chelsea bid, they will also now face questions over their proposed ownership.
A spokesman has claimed that the owners of the Chicago Cubs will not have a controlling stake in Chelsea if their bid is successful. Asked to identify who would, Dennis Culloton said: “That’s still shaping up and, if they’re successful, I’m sure there will be more to be shared on that.”
Ken Griffin, the chief executive of Citadel, is part of the Ricketts bid for Chelsea. He has previously been described as a silent partner and there was no comment from his spokesman on whether or not the 53-year-old would take a controlling stake in Chelsea.
It emerged on Saturday night that the Rock Entertainment Group, headed by Dan Gilbert, who is worth £16.5billion, had joined the Ricketts bid but the level of his investment was not disclosed and there was still no confirmation over who would become Chelsea’s major shareholder. REG owns the American basketball team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Telegraph Sport understands that supporter groups involved in discussions with the Ricketts over the past fortnight had been under the impression that the family would take a controlling stake.
That is likely to need clearing up in order to convince critics that the claim somebody else would take a controlling stake is not an attempt to dilute some of the criticism around the bid.
