One of Britain’s richest people could soon make a childhood dream of owning Manchester United a reality. 

Chemicals firm INEOS and its 70-year-old founder Jim Ratcliffe — who has an estimated net worth of $15.5 billion — are officially in the running to buy the Premier League team, an INEOS spokesperson confirmed to several outlets.

“We have formally put ourselves into the process,” they said.

No other groups have announced intentions to acquire the club, though the sale has reportedly attracted groups from the Middle East, Asia, and the U.S.

• It was reported last week that Manchester United will invite formal takeover bids until mid-February. 
• The club is expected to invite bids for total buyouts and minority stakes.

INEOS is also an owner of French side OCG Nice and Swiss club FC Lausanne Sport. There are no issues with acquiring Manchester United if the teams don’t play in the same competition.

The pair also have connections to Formula 1, cycling, sailing, and rugby.

Takeover Time

The Glazers, who announced plans to explore a sale in November following criticism over misguided management, are reportedly looking for an offer of more than $7.2 billion. Forbes last valued Manchester United at $4.6 billion.

It was previously reported that the Raine Group intends to complete a sale in the first financial quarter of 2023.

Formula 1 is set to stay in Miami for the long haul. 

Miami Grand Prix organizers announced a host of changes and improvements as it prepares for its second iteration on May 7.

• A permanent 190,000-square-foot Paddock Club hospitality building has been built atop the team pit garages, overlooking the pit lane and starting line. 
• The three-tiered building will include room for 6,000 guests, luxury suites, and a rooftop club.
• Team paddock areas and hospitality units, where drivers will stay throughout the race weekend, will be on the field where the Miami Dolphins play.

The 3.36-mile track surface, which goes around Hard Rock Stadium, will be repaved to improve grip levels in the hopes of allowing for more overtakes and excitement. 

Organizers are also upgrading certain fan areas, including the “marina,” where real yachts were parked on fake water during the 2022 race.

No Race to Replace China

Formula 1 also announced that it will not add an event to replace the Chinese Grand Prix in 2023.

The Shanghai-based race was on the original calendar for this year but was removed due to uncertainty around travel and event restrictions as part of the nation’s zero-COVID policy.

Portugal and other locations emerged as a potential replacement, but F1 elected to make no further changes and keep the calendar to 23 races, the same number as last year.

Telemundo has expanded its reach with the world’s most popular sport. 

The broadcasting giant has secured a four-year media rights deal with the U.S. Soccer Federation for an undisclosed amount. The pact will make the NBCUniversal-owned TV network the exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster of the U.S. women’s and men’s national soccer teams. 

NBCUniversal chairman Beau Ferrari said that the network looks forward to “propelling the growth of soccer in the United States” and serving audiences across its platforms.

• Telemundo will broadcast more than 20 U.S. team matches each year. 
• That includes the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
• The deal also includes coverage on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock. 

Telemundo posted record viewership during the 2022 World Cup. In the first week of the month-long tournament  — and including streams — the network reported a 24% uptick in Spanish-language viewership compared to 2018.

A group-stage match between Argentina and Mexico on Nov. 26 averaged 8.9 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock — the most-watched group-stage game in Spanish-language history.

The match alone averaged 2.08 million viewers on Peacock. 

Leveling the Playing Field 

The USWNT will be a big part of the new media rights deal and is indicative of the growing popularity and value of women’s soccer.

In 2022, the USWNT agreed to a settlement with U.S. Soccer, ending a six-year lawsuit over equal pay. The settlement included a $24 million payment, $22 million of which went to players.