Tom Brady, the five-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback, has been announced as a minority owner at Birmingham City.
The 46-year-old, who retired from NFL in February, joins a growing group of high-profile Americans investing in English and Welsh football.
Brady has a partnership with Blues’ new owners Knighthead Capital Management LLC, and will become chairman of an advisory board at St Andrew’s.
City did not disclose the size of his stake or the amount he invested, but said Brady would work with the club on health, nutrition and marketing. He is investing alongside his friend, hedge fund manager Tom Wagner, who purchased a 45 per cent stake in the club in July.
“Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent. We are setting the bar at world class,” Knighthead co-founder Wagner said. “Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board Tom will have a direct impact on the club. The men’s, women’s, and academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge.”
Brady will work with the board on partnership opportunities, as well as helping with health, wellness and recovery programs.
“As a competitor my entire life, I know how important a city’s support can be to its team, and the passion the Blues fans have is legendary,” Brady said in a statement. “I just can’t wait to experience it firsthand.”
There is much optimism among Blues fans over the new regime. Chinese investor Paul Suen has been the club’s main investor since 2016.
“Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent. We are setting the bar at world class,” Wagner said in a statement.
Brady is not the only ex-American footballer with interest in English football, with prominent former NFL player, JJ Watt and his wife, Kealia Watt, announcing investment in Burnley in May.
There has been a surge in high-profile investment interest across the Atlantic in recent years, with actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney also buying Wrexham AFC in 2021, leaning on their following and a documentary series about the club to revive its popularity and ticket sales.
Golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are also part of the 49ers group takeover at Leeds United, while the NBA’s LeBron James also has minority interest in Liverpool via his partnership with Fenway Sports Group.
Wagner, whose hedge fund is worth $10 billion, specialises in distressed debt investing. His plan to turn the club around includes improving the St. Andrew’s stadium, bringing in new sponsors and increasing fan engagement to drive sales.
The club, which finished its season in the second-tier Championship in 17th place, reported a pretax loss of £24.8 million for the year ended June 2022. The club said in July that there had been noticeable progress in the improvement works on the stadium, and that repair work on two of the stands would be finished by mid-September.
Wagner and Brady got to know each other through their sons, who went to school together on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Last year, the duo joined former world No 1 tennis player Kim Clijsters to purchase a team for the 2023 Major League Pickleball season.
