Leeds United Football Club has this evening confirmed that The Football League (EFL) has officially approved the sale of the club to 49ers Enterprises, the strategic arm of the San Francisco 49ers, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the club's history.
Paraag Marathe, previously a Vice Chairman and Board member of the club, will step into the role of Leeds United Chairman. As Chairman, Marathe will assume responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the club, including both football and business operations. His primary objective will be to strategize and lead the fight for promotion back to the Premier League in the upcoming 2023-2024 season. Marathe succeeds Andrea Radrizzani, who has been the majority owner of Leeds United since 2017.
Paraag Marathe is a respected figure in the sports industry with more than two decades of leadership experience. Marathe has orchestrated the ownership transition to 49ers Enterprises behind the scenes, setting the stage for a promising future. As Chairman, Marathe will supervise the club's leadership team, guiding their management of football and business operations while driving the overarching strategy to compete for promotion to the Premier League.
Marathe's approach to data and analytics has been a hallmark of his career, earning him leadership positions within the San Francisco 49ers as President of 49ers Enterprises and Executive Vice President of Football Operations. He has been the team's chief contract negotiator and salary cap architect while overseeing the football analytics department. During his tenure as 49ers team President from 2014-2016 and Chief Operating Officer from 2010-2013, Marathe played a pivotal role in the development of Levi's Stadium.
Joining the board as Co-Owner and Vice Chairman of Leeds United is Rudy Cline-Thomas. Rudy is the founder and Managing Partner of MASTRY, an alternative asset manager focused on Venture Capital, Sports, Real Estate, and Media. MASTRY Ventures, an early-stage tech venture capital fund, boasts an impressive portfolio that includes investments in prominent companies such as Datadog, Zoom, and Uber. In 2023, MASTRY Ventures acquired a majority stake in Athletes First, the leading NFL sports agency, representing elite athletes like Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott.
Rudy's work as a producer has been recognized with "The Scheme," an HBO documentary that received a Sports Emmy nomination. He also founded The Players Technology Summit, a platform for discussions on tech investing trends with leading athletes in collaboration with Bloomberg.
Furthermore, lifelong Leeds United and football supporter Peter Lowy remains on the board as a significant investor through the family's investment company, Lowy Family Group. Born in Australia and residing in the US, Peter has an impressive business background, having previously served as Co-CEO of the Westfield Group. His contributions to the development of iconic shopping malls across the US and Europe. The Lowy family's commitment to Australian association football is well-established, with Peter's father, Frank Lowy, and brother, Steven, having served as Chairman of the Football Federation Australia (FFA).
In the midst of these changes, Angus Kinnear, CEO of Leeds United and Board member, will maintain his current position, ensuring the continuity of the club's day-to-day operations.
Many global sports stars have also invested in Leeds through Big League Advantage, an investment fund that for athletes, including Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, American Football plater Myles Jack, basketball players Larry Nance and TJ McConnell and hockey players Erik Johnson hock and Gabe Landeskog.
As Leeds United embarks on this new era under the ownership of 49ers Enterprises, can fans be optimistic about the future? The summer has been quiet so far with little signs of incoming players but with the takeover finally confirmed has the touchpaper been lit on this summers business with Ethan Ampadu looking set to sign.