RedBall Acquisition Corp. could be "eyeing a large minority investment in Liverpool," according to sources cited by McEnery & Kosman of the N.Y. POST. RedBird Capital Founder & Managing Partner Gerry Cardinale and RedBall Acquisition co-Chair Billy Beane recently "disclosed that they had raised" $575M. Beane, who also serves as A's Exec VP/Baseball Operations, is a "longtime Liverpool superfan." Liverpool Principal Owner and Red Sox Owner John Henry "famously tried to poach Beane from Oakland in 2002 and has implemented many of Beane's analytical, stat-driven 'Moneyball' strategies with the Red Sox and Liverpool." In interviews, Beane has "called Henry a friend." Henry's Fenway Sports Group "might be feeling an even deeper pinch considering the Red Sox are also set to hemorrhage cash in a shortened baseball season with no ticket or concession revenue." Sources said that Beane's acquisition company "will have well over $1 billion at their disposal, enough to take on a large minority stake in Liverpool." RedBall "can deploy an SPAC to acquire a minority stake" (N.Y. POST, 8/24). Cardinale and Beane have never publicly discussed Liverpool nor any other targets for the SPAC (THE DAILY).
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: THE ATHLETIC's Matt Slater noted former EPL Exec Chair Richard Scudamore has been appointed to the BOD of RedBall, which is "being advised by Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel, a strategic consultancy" set up by former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, ex-U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former U.S. diplomat Anja Manuel. Their specialty is "overseas investment, leaving Scudamore to provide the more football-specific know-how." Scudamore has known Cardinale for "several years and has been acting as a sounding board" to the PE firm since leaving the EPL in November '18 (THEATHLETIC.com, 8/22).
