NFL legend Tom Brady becomes the latest American athlete to invest in English football as he is now a minority owner of Birmingham City.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion has entered a partnership with Blues owners Knighthead Capital Management LLC ahead of the 2023/24 season. Brady announced his retirement from American football earlier this year.
The 46-year-old joins the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, Lebron James, Kealia and J.J. Watt, and Michael B Jordan, who have all invested in English football clubs. He will be hoping to have a similar impact to the Wrexham owners.
The Sporting News looks at Tom Brady's new role at Birmingham City and the ownership status of the club.
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Tom Brady owns Birmingham City
Although Brady has invested enough in the club to become a minority owner, it is unclear just how much money he has put in, and the percentage he owns.
In a statement released on the club website, Brady said: "Birmingham City is an iconic club with so much history and passion and to be part of the Blues is a real honour for me. BCFC is built on teamwork and determination and I'm excited to work alongside the board, management and players to make our Second City club second to none."
The Blues also released a video which features Brady briefly talking about his vision for the club.
What is Tom Brady's role at Birmingham City?
It is clear that Brady is looking to be actively involved with the ongoings at the club. He is looking to play an important role in getting Birmingham back to the top tier of English football.
Brady will become Chairman of the new Advisory Board and will be working directly with the club's board and members of Birmingham's leadership team. He will help the with global marketing efforts and the identification of new commercial partnership opportunities for the club.
As Chairman of the Advisory Board, he will also aid the sports science department with advice on health, nutrition, wellness and recovery systems and programs.
Tom Brady net worth
In May 2023, Forbes released the list of the world's highest-paid athletes. Brady ranked 50th for his total earnings, which amounted to $45.2m (£36.7m) throughout the year. Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Patrick Mahomes were the top earners in the sport, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe topped the list.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Brady has a net worth of $300m (£236.5m). He also purchased a minority stake in the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces in March 2023.
Who owns Birmingham City?
Birmingham City is under new ownership following the takeover from US-based Shelby Companies Limited (SCL) this summer. They are a subsidiary company of Knighthead Capital Management.
SCL has a 45.98% ownership of Birmingham City Limited as well as full ownership of St Andrew's, the Blues' home stadium. They have assumed responsibility for all operations of the club as they look to rebuild and set a new trajectory.
According to Almajir, 51% of Birmingham City Limited is owned by Birmingham Sports Holding, while 3.36% is owned by public shareholders.
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What league do Birmingham City play in?
Birmingham currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. They are the longest-serving side in the division, competing in the league since the 2011/12 season.
They were relegated from the Premier League in 2011, but the Blues also won the EFL Cup in the same season after they beat Arsenal 2-1 in the final at Wembley Stadium.
In the 2022/23 season, Birmingham finished 17th in the league table. Their top scorer was Scott Hogan, who found the back of the net 10 times in 37 appearances.
Where is Birmingham City?
The Blues are based in Birmingham in the West Midlands region of England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of an estimated 984,000 people.
Due to their location, their main rivals are Aston Villa. They also have smaller tensions with Wolves and West Brom, who are also located in the West Midlands region.