Red Bull purchases stake in Leeds United, set to be shirt sponsor next season — The Athletic 30/5/24
By Phil Hay
Global soft drinks giant Red Bull has struck a deal to
purchase a minority stake in Leeds United — and will sponsor the English club’s
shirts next season.
The multi-national, which controls a large stable of
football teams worldwide alongside its powerful Formula One operation, is set
to seal an investment which will see it join Leeds’ existing ownership group.
United are run by 49ers Enterprises, the private equity arm
of the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise which arrived at Elland Road as
minority shareholder in 2018 before purchasing 100 per cent control from Andrea
Radrizzani last summer.
The 49ers’ fund is made up of numerous parties and
individuals, with the 49ers themselves in overall charge and others committed
to differing levels financially.
Earlier this month it was revealed that Hollywood actor Will
Ferrell was the latest high-profile figure to add his name to the list of
Elland Road investors.
Sources who spoke to The Athletic on condition of anonymity
said talks between 49ers Enterprises and Red Bull had been on-going for some
time and were poised to close successfully, resulting in the firm securing a
stake in United.
“I am thrilled that Red Bull is joining us to build a bright
future for Leeds United and shares our deep respect for this truly special
club,” Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe said of the agreement.
Marathe described the deal as “a historic milestone that
will further empower the club to reach its full competitive potential.”
The deal will go ahead despite Leeds’ defeat in Sunday’s
Championship play-off final. The club fell short of promotion to the Premier
League after losing 1-0 to Southampton at Wembley Stadium.
Red Bull is also poised to replace existing shirt sponsor
BOXT, an agreement which would represent a significant increase on the value of
the existing contract.
Red Bull’s CEO of corporate projects and investments, Oliver
Mintzlaff, said their ambition was to “bring Leeds back to the Premier League”
and “establish themselves in the best football league in the world.”
The company has been credibly linked with an equity purchase
in Leeds before, most strongly during Massimo Cellino’s time as club owner
towards the end of 2014. No investment was forthcoming at that stage, however.
Red Bull’s presence in football has long been a source of
controversy, owing to their history of rebranding teams in their multi-club
group, like German side RB Leipzig and Austrian team Red Bull Salzburg.
The Athletic has been told that Red Bull will not be given a
seat on Leeds’ board as part of its share acquisition, and that changing the
club’s name, shirt colour or stadium name will not be open to discussion in any
respect.
The 49ers have been expanding their pool of investors ever
since their bid to take over United outright was completed at the end of the
2022-23 season.
Leeds declined to comment when contacted by The Athletic.
