You Won’t Believe This: Dan Friedkin Declares He’s the ONLY One Who Can PROTECT Everton… As a Massive £1.7bn Takeover Bloodbath Kicks Off Right Now!

The Friedkin Group are now reaping the rewards of the meticulous groundwork that went into developing the Hill Dickinson Stadium before they completed their Everton takeover in December 2024.

Although the project was well underway prior to their arrival, the broader ambition behind it — transforming Everton’s new home into a high-revenue, multi-purpose venue capable of generating income throughout the year — aligns closely with the group’s long-term strategy.

That same philosophy is being applied at AS Roma, where plans for a new 61,000-seat stadium continue to move forward as part of a drive to strengthen commercial output and modernise infrastructure.

Everton and Roma are not the only clubs within the Friedkin empire. French outfit AS Cannes also sit under their umbrella, alongside the family’s significant ventures in the automotive and film industries.

However, the blueprint devised at their Texas headquarters makes clear that sport remains a central pillar of expansion, with further acquisitions firmly on the agenda.

In July, Everton confirmed the creation of Pursuit Sports, a newly formed holding company bringing together Everton, Roma and Cannes under one structure.

Dave Beeston, previously a senior executive with Fenway Sports Group, was appointed to spearhead the initiative and oversee its strategic growth.

Now, fresh developments suggest the next major move could already be taking shape.

Earlier this week, business outlet Sportico reported that The Friedkin Group has entered the race to purchase Major League Baseball franchise the San Diego Padres, a team valued at approximately £1.7 billion.

Such a deal would represent the largest acquisition in the group’s history by a considerable margin.

By contrast, Everton’s takeover — despite the limited cash exchange between Farhad Moshiri and Friedkin — placed a valuation of around £500 million on the Merseyside club.

In footballing terms, only Chelsea’s 2022 sale to a private equity-led consortium has surpassed the Padres’ estimated price tag.

Interestingly, one of Chelsea’s co-owners, Clearlake Capital’s Jose Feliciano, is reportedly among the rival bidders for the MLB franchise.

If the Padres were to join Pursuit Sports, the move would signal a significant shift in diversification strategy.

According to Kieran Maguire, a football finance lecturer at the University of Liverpool, broadening into American sports offers structural advantages that European football cannot always guarantee.

He explains that football’s financial model has yet to deliver consistent long-term profitability for owners.

In contrast, US-based closed leagues such as MLB, NBA and NFL operate without relegation and with limited external competition, creating stronger cost control and more predictable revenue streams.

This often places greater financial leverage with clubs rather than players.

Expanding across multiple sports, Maguire suggests, could provide protection against volatility in European football markets. Broadcast instability in France and declining Italian television revenues highlight those risks.

While the Premier League appears more stable, it is not immune to future economic turbulence.