The Ricketts family raised the stakes in their controversial bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich on Sunday when they produced a list of pledges, including never to participate in a European Super League, in a wide‑ranging eight-point plan aimed at placating Chelsea’s fans.
The Chicago Cubs-owning Ricketts, among four bidders for the club, have met fan resistance owing to historic Islamophobic emails from the family patriarch Joe Ricketts. Supporters have voiced concerns online over the Ricketts’ candidacy and staged a small demonstration at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Now the family have laid out their vision for Chelsea’s future should they win the race to buy the club after discussions with several supporters’ groups in the last fortnight. Bid leaders and siblings Tom and Laura Ricketts pledged to protect Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge home, the club’s colours and crest – and safeguard the men’s and women’s teams’ positions at the top of the global game.
A Ricketts family statement said: “We will never participate in a European Super League and always protect the integrity and heritage of Chelsea FC. We will commit the resources necessary to continue winning trophies, including investing in the first team, experienced football leadership and the academy.
“We will put diversity and inclusion at the heart of the club and fight against any form of discrimination or inequality. We will 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 Chelsea Supporters’ Trust and Chelsea Pitch Owners, and influential community leaders.
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“We will match the current commitment to Chelsea FC Women and increase the number of women’s matches played at Stamford Bridge.”
Tom Ricketts has apologised repeatedly and called the publicised views “abhorrent”, while also forging links with Muslim communities in Chicago.
The Ricketts family have teamed up with the multi-billionaire US investors Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert for an offer to buy Chelsea understood to be fully funded by cash.
