Seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion Tom Brady has turn out to be a minority proprietor of Championship aspect Birmingham Metropolis.
The 46-year-old will turn out to be chairman of a brand new advisory board at St Andrew’s.
“Tom Brady becoming a member of the Birmingham Metropolis group is an announcement of intent. We’re setting the bar at world class,” Knighthead co-founder Tom Wagner stated.
“Tom is each investing [as well as] committing his time and in depth experience.
“As chair of the advisory board Tom could have a direct influence on the membership. The lads’s, girls’s, and academy groups are going to profit from [his] data.
“The purpose that Tom has dedicated to is to make Birmingham Metropolis a revered chief in vitamin, well being, wellness, and restoration the world over of soccer.”
The membership stated Brady would additionally work intently with the board and the administration group on international advertising efforts and the identification of latest industrial partnership alternatives.
Numerous American stars have made minority investments in English soccer golf equipment in latest months.
Former NFL defensive finish JJ Watt turned a shareholder at Burnley in Might, whereas actor and producer Michael B Jordan invested in Bournemouth on the finish of final 12 months.
American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, and NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook are additionally minority stakeholders in Leeds United.
Fellow NBA star LeBron James additionally turn out to be a minor associate in Fenway Sports activities Group (FSG), the homeowners of Liverpool, in 2021.
‘An actual honour’
US-based Shelby Firms Restricted (SCL), a subsidiary of Knighthead Capital Administration, accomplished its takeover of Birmingham in July.
As a part of that deal SCL turned controlling shareholders of the beforehand Chinese language-owned membership.
“Birmingham Metropolis is an iconic membership with a lot historical past and fervour, and to be a part of the Blues is an actual honour for me,” Brady stated.
“BCFC is constructed on teamwork and dedication and I am excited to work alongside the board, administration and gamers to make our Second Metropolis membership second to none.
“I have been a part of some wonderful groups in my day, and I am trying ahead to making use of my perspective to create that very same success right here in Birmingham.”
Broadly recognised as one of many biggest American footballers in NFL historical past, the quarterback received six Tremendous Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
Brady’s remaining season earlier than his retirement earlier this 12 months ended within the Bucs’ 31-14 play-off defeat in January.
Blues, who completed seventeenth within the Championship final season, start the brand new marketing campaign with a visit to Swansea on Saturday.
Is it a significant involvement?
Christina Philippou, sports activities finance professional at Portsmouth College, instructed BBC Radio 5 Reside that it was tough to inform in the intervening time how a lot involvement Brady would have with the membership.
“What’s apparent is he is put some cash in as a minority proprietor,” she stated.
“More cash coming in is nice for Birmingham Metropolis. Their common monetary state of affairs isn’t nice as is the case with a lot of the Championship.
“Tom Brady’s new function is on a brand new advisory board and that is not the identical as being on the board of administrators.
“Advisory boards are typically advisory, to allow them to give advise which the board can or select to not tackle board. It actually will depend upon how that is arrange and what the brand new advisory board appears to be like like and that may turn out to be extra apparent as time passes.”
Philippou added there was little comparability between Brady’s function and that of Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at League Two Wrexham.
“There’s a large distinction between the possession, which is successfully what we’re seeing at Wrexham the place they’re concerned in lots of the day-to-day working of the membership and what we’re seeing right here the place mainly a minority possession means you do not have a lot energy,” she stated.
“He is not even on the board of administrators. It does really feel nearly extra of a sponsorship-type deal fairly than an possession. Time will inform.”