Leeds United’s celebrity owners were left disappointed on Sunday as Daniel Farke’s team failed to rise to the occasion against Southampton in the Championship play-off final.
Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, along with a slew of A-list investors, were left upset on Sunday after Leeds United lost the Championship play-off final to Southampton at Wembley.
Adam Armstrong’s first-half strike separated the teams in football’s wealthiest game, securing Saints’ spot in the Premier League next season. It brings immense profits, with revenue and broadcast income totaling almost £150 million.
Leeds finished third in the regular season, one point ahead of Southampton, but Daniel Farke’s side performed poorly, failing to break past a tenacious Saints defending. They will have to settle for a second consecutive season in the second division and must start from scratch after failing to perform on the biggest platform.
The outcome is going to be a severe blow to Leeds’ owner, 49ers Enterprises Global, a group led by NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, with numerous celebrities also on board as minor investors. The 49ers group completed its takeover last year, agreeing to a £170 million agreement with former owner Andrea Radrizzani.
Golf superstars Thomas and Spieth are among those who own a portion of one of England’s oldest clubs. Will Ferrell, Russell Crowe, and Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps all have investments in Leeds.
Thomas discussed his investment in the Yorkshire club before of last week’s PGA Championship in his native Kentucky. The two-time major champion stated that his interest in the club was sparked in part by fanatical Leeds supporter Billy Foster, who caddied for 2022 US Open winner Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Ferrell appeared on the pitch at Anfield for the Merseyside derby in February 2023
Will Ferrell, a comedy legend, is part of Leeds United’s ownership group.
“[Billy and] have definitely become a lot closer over the last year, and he’s given us a lot of insight and knowledge in terms of Leeds and sending us videos from games,” Thomas said, before adding that he was thrilled that his tee times at the tournament would allow him to watch the playoff semi-final victory over Norwich City at Elland Road.
Spieth, Thomas’ close buddy, told Sky Sports when he invested last year: “Relegation wasn’t ideal, but we got engaged with the 49ers group. I thought that would be an awesome opportunity. It’s a big city, a historic club, and an excellent venue on Elland Road.
“When you start looking into it, you realise it could be incredibly interesting, and with relegation, we were able to rethink whether we wanted to do it. It wasn’t a decision; we wanted to do it, and it turned out to be a better deal if we got promoted shortly.
“We’re simply observing, but I’m incredibly pleased to be part of a squad that I care about emotionally. I’ve been following Premier League football for the past few years. For the time being, championship football will be played, followed by the Premier League.
