SportBusiness.com

NBA legend snaps up stake in Liverpool

National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James has acquired a minority stake in Barclays Premier League club Liverpool under the terms of a partnership announced on Wednesday evening.

The two-time NBA most valuable player’s company, LRMR Branding & Marketing, has penned an agreement with Fenway Sports Group – the parent company of Liverpool as well as Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network and the 50% owner of NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing.

Fenway Sports Management, the marketing arm of Fenway Sports Group, will team up with LRMR to secure global marketing and sponsorship deals for James while the Miami Heat forward and LRMR CEO Maverick Carter will acquire a stake in Liverpool.

“We believe this will be a powerful collaboration between FSM and LRMR and LeBron,” said Liverpool and Fenway Sports Group co-owner Tom Werner. “There are very few sportsmen who can match his global reach, appeal and iconic status.”

Werner added: “LeBron and Liverpool each has a powerful presence internationally, with particular strength in Asia, but we feel the business opportunities for both working and being identified together in emerging international markets will result in unforeseen opportunities that neither would have been able to realise alone.”