The most popular celebrity owner in UK football revealed

However, they were far from the first celebrities to take an interest in the beautiful game. Basketball legend LeBron James was somewhat of a pioneer in this regard after he bought a minority stake in Liverpool back in 2011 before Gary Neville and the rest of the class of 92 bought Salford City.

Celebrities in the Game: Who’s Investing in UK Football?

The likes of Stormzy and Wilfried Zaha got in on the act last year when they invested into non-league side Croydon Athletic, while Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe have been joined by Michael Phelps, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth at Leeds United.

Michael B. Jordan, Tom Brady, and Ed Sheeran are other A-list celebrities to put their time and money into British football, and now it’s reported that rapper A$AP Rocky, who has two children with iconic singer Rihanna, is set to invest in League Two side Tranmere Rovers.

With that in mind, a new study has now revealed the most popular celebrity owner as well as the owner who has made the smartest investment into the club.

The team at Swoop Funding have analysed how much profit or loss Wrexham have made alongside the positive and negative online sentiment of both McElhenney and Reynolds.

This is what the results show:

Michael B. Jordan leads the pack of celebrity football investors, achieving the highest "Smartest Investment Score" of 76.24 with Premier League outfit Bournemouth. The club’s £44M profit in 2022/23 and minimal negative sentiment (1%) underscore the success of his venture.

Stormzy follows closely with a score of 74.99, thanks to 67% positive sentiment as a recent investor in Croydon AFC, despite a modest £14.3K loss. Gary Neville’s long-term investment in Salford City (League Two) earns him a strong score of 67.05, driven by 53% positive sentiment, despite the club’s £3.2M loss.

Other notable investors include Brian McFadden (59.17) of Chorley FC, Rob McElhenney (55.28) of Wrexham AFC, and Keith Duffy (54.69) of Chorley FC, all benefiting from high public approval.

LeBron James (46.85) and Ryan Reynolds (48.18) also stand out for their investments in Liverpool and Wrexham AFC, respectively, while David Beckham and Phil Neville score 47.78 each for their stakes in Salford City.

However, clubs like Leeds United and Burnley face challenges, with investors like Russell Crowe (27.50) and JJ Watt (28.72) grappling with significant losses and low sentiment.

At the bottom of the rankings is Dude Perfect, whose investment in Burnley earned a score of 0.00 due to 100% negative sentiment and the club’s £36M loss. Other struggling investors include Jordan Spieth (13.89) and Justin Thomas (20.14) of Leeds United, facing losses of £34M and significant public disapproval.

Benefits of Celebrity Investment As more celebrities are set to enter the investment space in 2025, their influence can extend beyond financial backing. Celebrity investors are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape by:

• Providing mentorship: Many celebrities are not only funding startups but also offering mentorship and guidance. Their experience and networks can help open doors for new entrepreneurs, helping them navigate startup challenges and gain strategic advantages.

• Enhancing visibility: By aligning their brand with emerging businesses, celebrity investors can significantly boost these companies' visibility, attracting media attention and consumer interest that might otherwise be difficult to achieve.

• Driving trends: Celebrity endorsements can help set new trends within industries, encouraging other investors and consumers to engage with innovative ideas and products. This can lead to the rapid evolution of sectors like tech, fashion, and health, where new ideas can take off with the right backing.

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