The CEO of Activision Blizzard will leave video games to go to the Premier League, where he is being linked with West Ham United
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has been linked with Premier League football club West Ham United. The former Call of Duty publisher boss recently agreed to stay on as CEO until the end of 2023, following Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of the company.
As a major shareholder, Kotick stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars from the deal. Also You are entitled to compensation if your contract is terminated or you leave due to various circumstances within the following year to a change of control in the company. From video games to the Premier League? What few of us expected.
Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, plans to go to the Premier League
And according to podcaster and West Ham news reporter Sean Whetstone, Kotick could be interested in invest a small stake in West Ham United as part of his post-video game career.
- “Bobby Kotick is a name that gave me a reliable source as someone potentially interested in investing in West Ham,” Whetstone told the portal. VGC ????
- According to the source, Kotick has been offered as investor for 10% stake recently put up for sale with Rothschildfollowing the death of co-president David Gold ❗❗
- The Hammers already have an American shareholder: Tripp Smith, who owns 8% of the West Ham holding company ????
Premier League clubs have become popular with American investors: Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Fulham are all wholly or partially owned by Americans.
As you know, Bobby Kotick was CEO of Activision from 1991 to 2008, after which he became CEO of Activision Blizzard in connection with the merger of Activision and Vivendi Games. He is the only Activision Blizzard executive who has a change of control protection that would reward him financially if replaced after an acquisition.
While he has helped lead Activision Blizzard to great business heights during his tenure, Kotick’s reputation (and that of the company) has suffered greatly in recent years following several scandals. That includes accusations that executives intentionally ignored or attempted to downplay reported cases of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Both Kotick and Activision have denied the allegations.
