The richest British businessman Jim Ratcliffe has never before invested money in the sport. But recently everything changed. It began… with the sails!
A year ago, Ratcliffe, whose personal fortune according to The Sunday Times, is 21,05 billion pounds (almost $ 28 billion), met the most famous British yachtsman, four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie – and this meeting, as it turned out, was a landmark.
Until then, the head of the giant chemical concern INEOS (which he founded) was far from a great sport and never invested money in it, considering it a waste of money. At the same time he still loves to run, and before when I was younger, drove a motorcycle, and I loved extreme travel. Once the two boys reached the South pole!
But to invest in the sport, again, the billionaire thought was absolutely useless. The big mystery is how Ainslie persuaded him. But…
Came the sensation: the 66-year-old Ratcliffe has decided to allocate to the creation, preparation and participation of the British team (it was called Ineos Team UK) in the 36th Cup “of America” an incredible amount. 110 million pounds! That is, at 145.5 million dollars!
The America’s Cup – is largely a story about money. So Ineos Team UK definitely one of the main contenders for victory in the America’s Cup. Moreover, Ratcliffe said recently that if the team of these funds are not enough, he will give more…
Moreover, the appetite, as the saying goes, comes during a meal. Just learned about buying a bike Ratcliffe British “stables” of Team Sky. The transaction amount was not disclosed, but it is clear that for the famous Cycling team, advocated by the best British riders-Champions, the billionaire has paid to the former owner of the company 21st Century Fox – a tidy sum. In may the team will perform under a new name – Team Ineos.
But this is, imagine, not all. Ratcliffe clearly got a taste. Louder rumors that the richest man of great Britain talks with Roman Abramovich on buying Chelsea!
That’s the story. It all began, as you now know, with sails. And continuing, apparently, follows.
