This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Leeds United have been under new ownership for almost a year now following the full takeover of 49ers Enterprises during the summer of 2023, and have recently gained further investment following the announcement that Red Bull are joining as a minority stakeholder.
The 49ers took full control of the Whites following their relegation from the Premier League. And, after a protracted process, Leeds eventually revealed that the EFL had given the green light for the sale of the club from Andrea Radrizzani to the 49ers, which was “paving the way for the immediate transition of ownership”.
On May 24, 2018, the ‘York family’, via 49ers Enterprises, bought shares in Leeds to become a minority investor – the 49s Enterprises is the business arm of the NFL side, San Francisco 49ers. They eventually completed a full takeover of the club on June 9, 2023.
49ers Enterprises previously owned a 44% stake in the club from their 2018 investment and were keen to become the majority shareholders by buying the club from Radrizzani. Eventually, they gained EFL ratification, meaning Paraag Marathe, previously vice chairman and board member of the club, was able to take over as Leeds chairman from the Italian.
Angus Kinnear remained in his role as CEO, with Rudy Cline-Thomas named as new vice chairman of the club. They also added the likes of Gretar Steinsson, Nick Hammond, and Jordan Miles to their recruitment team as well.
Leeds’ investors have also been joined by other famous faces, with the likes of Jordan Spieth also taking particular interest in the club following the takeover of 49ers Enterprises, alongside huge names in American sports, such as Michael Phelps and Larry Nance. Recent developments have seen Will Ferrell also join the club as one of many minority investors, alongside Leeds fan, Russell Crowe.
However, fresh developments have added further to their list of investors at Elland Road.
Red Bull’s Leeds United investment comes with caution
The Whitesannounced earlier this week that they have struck an agreement with the energy drinks company. The deal will involve Red Bull becoming the shirt sponsor going forward, replacing BOXT on the front of the jersey. It will also bring the Austrian brand into the 49ers Enterprises ownership group, with Red Bull taking on a minority stake in the Championship club as well.
FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith spoke to us about the potential benefits and drawbacks of the situation surrounding the fresh investment in the club.
He told FLW: “There’s essentially two schools of thought amongst the Leeds fans at the moment. I feel both are equally valid with Red Bull coming in.
“First, you’ve got the fans that are just delighted to produce such an obviously lucrative deal. It’s surely the biggest in EFL history in a sponsorship sense. That will have undoubted benefits for us going forward.
“Secondly, you have got people rightly pointing out Red Bull’s background with other clubs. In particular, that’s Salzburg. They are the real worry.
“They essentially have had their heritage, or attempted to have their heritage, erased – which is something that Leeds fans would not stand for.
“You have to hope that we are different, in that sense, and that Red Bull won’t let that fly with clubs that have a lot of history.
“I do find myself somewhere in the middle with this. I’m excited to see that we’re going to be in a strong financial position, which we already were, but this helps even more.
“But I’m also wary of what might happen or what might follow with Red Bull in the long-term.
“It is a case of waiting to see what happens in the long-term with that, but in the short-to-medium-term, this can’t really be a bad thing for us by having them as a partner.”
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Leeds United’s Red Bull investment
It would be naive not to be somewhat skeptical of what this could become in the long-run, though. Red Bull have attempted, and indeed succeeded, in rebranding whole clubs, which takes away from their identity.
Leeds are likely to be different in that sense, as Smith alludes to; but a degree of skepticism and distrust should also be present among the Leeds fanbase going forward.
There are, of course, other benefits as well. Their teams have considerable success and one of the best shared scouting networks around, and they often sign good players, too. It’s what else that comes that Leeds fans feel wary of.
