Queen's Park Rangers – Looking On With Envy TSS August 25, 2011 Leeds United 30 Comments For the last couple of seasons it’s been easy for Leeds United supporters to look on enviously as Queen’s Park Rangers embark on a new era of success. Whilst we’re burdened with Ken Bates, the highest ticket prices in the division and the spending power of a local pub team, a consortium of ridiculously rich individuals were buying up chunks of QPR. The thing with billionaires however, is that they seldom agree on much and it was a case of “too many cooks” spoiling the caviar-laden broth at Loftus Road. But eventually, QPR found their way into the Premier League and as billionaire majority owner Bernie Ecclestone (of Formula One fame) decided he’d had enough, he sold his 66% share to the mega-rich owner of Air Asia – Tony Fernandes. In comparison to some of the other partial owners that have been spreading shares in Queen’s Park Rangers around like a sexually transmitted disease, Tony Fernandes’ can barely be considered wealthy with a fortune of just $470m. But fear not, Queen’s Park Rangers can always rely on Lakshmi Mittal – the Indian billionaire who owns the other 33% and has an estimated wealth of over $31bn. With QPR’s new majority owner comes the kind of news that would give Ken Bates nightmares – a refund for all those who have purchased season tickets for the current season. So how much were these poor fans paying for their season tickets that Fernandes took the unprecedented decision to offer a refund? Well, they started at £549. That’s the fifth highest season ticket price in the Premier League, but still comes in at £63 less than the cheapest season ticket at Elland Road! If a queue of ridiculously wealthy billionaires lining up to buy shares in Queen’s Park Rangers wasn’t enough to make you feel a little jealous, I’m sure season ticket refunds was enough to push you over the edge! After all, QPR fans already benefited from cheaper ticket prices than us, and they’ll be watching their team take on Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea this season whilst a day out at Upton Park is the highlight of our calendar. So why is it that these billionaires aren’t queueing up to buy Leeds United? A club with unparalleled potential, an enormous fanbase stupid enough to pay Champions League prices for Championship football and a Chairman who has repeatedly claimed he’s open to investment? Aside from the mysterious ownership situation of our stadium and training facilities, plus the unenviable inconvenience of having to work with Ken Bates, I can only assume the biggest stalling point is Bates’ valuation of the club. Ecclestone parted with his 66% share of Premier League QPR for £35m which makes the total value of the club around £52.5m. Does anyone believe Bates would sell Championship, asset-less Leeds United for much less?