Who owns Leeds United?
49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC became the owners of Leeds United in July 2023 when they acquired the West Yorkshire outfit from former owner Andrea Radrizzani, who had been their majority owner since 2017.
49ers Enterprises is the strategic arm of the NFL franchise San Francisco 49ers, who are ultimately owned by the York family, led by Denise DeBartolo York. Meanwhile, Paraag Marathe, the president of the 49ers, has served as the Whites’ chairman since the takeover at Elland Road, with the US business’s CEO Jed York also on the board.
Marathe and York own over 10 per cent of the 49ers Enterprises Partners LLC, the parent company of 49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC. The club have also received celebrity investment, with actors Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe, golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps among those coming on board under the 49ers.
Furthermore, Leeds United announced in May 2024 that they have agreed a partnership deal with Red Bull that sees them get a minority ownership stake.
Who are 49ers Enterprises?
49ers Enterprises is the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, who are in turn owned by the York family.
Heading the sports venture for the family is DeBartolo, an American billionaire businesswoman born in Youngstown, Ohio.
Daughter of former construction magnate Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., she joined the family business, the DeBartolo Corporation, after he graduation and went on to become the co-chairman upon her father’s death in 1994.
DeBartolo made her foray in sports as early as the 1990s, serving as the president of the National Hockey League outfit Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1990-91 championship season, only to sell it immediately after.
She became the operating head of the 49ers in 1999 and gave over control to her son, Jed, in 2008.
DeBartolo became the owner of Leeds United through 49ers Enterprises after the full takeover at Elland Road in July 2023.
Meanwhile, Marathe, who was born in California, has been climbing up the ladder at the 49ers for 24 years, forming a close relationship with Jed. He is now at the forefront of a takeover involving the 49ers at Rangers.
How much were Leeds United bought for?
Radrizzani was Leeds United’s owner for six years between 2017 and 2023 after buying out Massimo Cellino for £45million, and got his reign off to a good start.
Decisions to buy Elland Road back from private ownership and hire Marcelo Bielsa as the manager in 2018 proved hugely popular and bore fruit as the Argentine tactician led them to Premier League promotion in 2020.
However, the Italian’s reputation quickly waned after Bielsa’s sacking in 2022 and even more so after it emerged that he had offered Elland Road as collateral to secure a £26m during his takeover for Sampdoria in 2023.
Meanwhile, 49ers Enterprises acquired a 10 per cent stake in Leeds United for around £10m as early as 2018 and gradually increased it to 44 per cent over five years.
The US business had the opportunity to buy out Radrizzani’s remaining 56 per cent by January 2024 and the former owner hoped to pocket £400m for that stake.
However, Leeds’ relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2022-23 season meant that the 49ers closed the deal for around £170m instead.
What is 49ers Enterprises’ net worth?
The 49ers have done a good job of steadying the ship once again after Radrizzani’s reign went downhill.
Leeds United are on course to earn promotion to the Premier League as they sit atop the Championship table with eight games left, while they announced plans to increase Elland Road’s capacity to around 53,000 in September 2024.
Marathe also recently expressed his desire to push the limits of the profit and sustainability rules to sign new players if Daniel Farke and Co earn promotion.
The York family’s net worth is reportedly around $6billion (£4.6bn), while the San Francisco 49ers are valued at around $6.8b (£5.25b) as of August 2024.