Tech entrepreneurs Assaf Rappaport and Eyal Waldman recently turned down an offer to join a purchasing group bidding to acquire Maccabi Haifa Soccer Club, making it clear they have no intention of investing in the sports industry.
The approach was made by businessman and entrepreneur Tom Livne, whose name has been tied to the potential investor group seeking to buy the Green club.
Speaking on Walla's "Lo Lepirsum" podcast, Livne revealed that he personally approached Rappaport and Waldman - who are close personal friends - to invite them into the acquisition venture. According to Livne, both declined, explaining that soccer falls outside their business and personal interests and that they do not intend to pursue such an investment.
The push to assemble a purchasing group comes as Maccabi Haifa President Yaakov Shahar seeks to sell the club after decades at its helm. The asking price for the team stands at approximately $100 million - a figure Livne described as inflated relative to the actual market value of an Israeli soccer club.
Rappaport and Waldman are among Israel’s most prominent and wealthiest business figures. Rappaport, co-founder and CEO of cybersecurity unicorn Wiz, holds an estimated net worth in the billions of dollars. Waldman, founder of Mellanox - which was acquired by NVIDIA - is similarly a leading titan in the Israeli tech sector. Despite their extensive financial resources, neither will be involved in the potential ownership change at Maccabi Haifa.
Meanwhile, investment bank Raine Group is continuing its efforts to identify interested buyers for the club. Livne noted in the interview that bringing in a non-Jewish investor remains a viable path, clarifying that from the investment bank's perspective, "all options are open."