From icons to investors: How celebrity ownership is turning clubs into cultural brands 

Sport has always attracted celebrity. But today, celebrity is owning sport and redefining what it means to run a club. From Hollywood actors and global athletes to musicians and media moguls, a new kind of investor is emerging. They’re not just sitting in the director’s box – they’re shaping identity, reach and commercial value. 

This isn’t a vanity play. It’s a strategic repositioning of sport as a global platform. Celebrity owners are turning clubs into media-first cultural brands with built-in audiences, storytelling power and commercial momentum that traditional investors struggle to replicate. 

We’ve looked at ownership through the lenses of structure (MCO), capital (PE) and scale (SWFs). Now, we explore influence – and its ability to build fandom, relevance and enterprise value. 

The rise of influence capital 

Celebrities and elite athletes have always had the money to invest. What’s changed is the moment and the mindset. Sport is no longer just entertainment, it’s a legitimate alternative asset class – global, emotionally resonant, and commercially under-optimised. Actors, athletes and creators have started to ask the right questions: Why just endorse sport when I can own it, shape it and scale it? Because clearly, the upside is real, hence the rise of the other investors we’ve covered in the series: 

• Clubs are often underperforming assets with high cultural value 

• Global fandom means narrative often trumps geography 

• Celebrity owners inject capital, visibility and creativity 

• Promotion/relegation systems offer real growth potential (especially attractive to US investors used to closed leagues) 

That’s why athletes and entertainers from North America are pouring into European football – the path to turn under-leveraged assets into scaled brands has never been clearer. 

What celebrities bring to the table 

Celebrity ownership goes far beyond name recognition. Today’s high-profile investors bring: 

• Distribution – Tens or hundreds of millions of fans across platforms. That kind of reach can globalise a club overnight. 

• Narrative power – They’re master storytellers – reframing what clubs mean, and why people should care. 

• Access – From sponsors to media deals and crossover collaborations, celebrities unlock commercial doors others can’t. 

• Cultural relatability – They’re athlete-adjacent or fans themselves – bridging the gap between commercial ambition and authentic engagement. 

This goes beyond endorsement, we’re now looking at the intersection where emotional capital meets distribution power – with an eye on equity.  

Case studies: Influence in action 

Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney – Wrexham AFC 

What began as a feel-good story is now a textbook in modern club branding. The FX/Disney+ docuseries ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ expanded the club’s global reach dramatically, helping drive revenue, sponsorships and fan growth globally – from LA to Seoul. 

Tom Brady – Birmingham City FC 

The NFL icon became a minority owner and advisory board chair in 2023. His involvement signals a new high-performance ethos – and fresh commercial ambition. 

LeBron James – Liverpool FC (via FSG) 

LeBron’s stake in Fenway Sports Group opened doors across sports and markets. He’s helped Liverpool expand its reach in US markets and youth culture, while enjoying exposure to cross-sport assets like the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Serena Williams – Angel City FC 

As part of a star-studded ownership group, Serena’s influence is reshaping visibility and youth engagement in women’s football. Angel City’s model prioritises social impact and revenue reinvestment, drawing attention from investors worldwide. 

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – XFL 

With full ownership of the XFL, The Rock is fusing entertainment and sport. The 2023 reboot was shaped around storytelling and accessibility – creating a league built as much for the screen as for the stadium. 

Why now? Why sport? 

The timing is no accident. 

• Sport remains under-commercialised – many clubs still run on legacy models 

• Celebrity capital is now institutionalised – stars have full investment teams, PE-style sophistication, and deal flow access 

• Content is the new currency – stories drive value more than performance alone 

• Lower-league clubs = high-upside bets – thanks to promotion/relegation and passionate local fanbases 

For example, Inter Miami CF, co-owned by David Beckham, is part of a $1B+ multi-use district via the Miami Freedom Park project. It will feature a stadium, retail, hotels, office campuses and public parks – turning the club into an anchor of urban regeneration. 

Meanwhile, emerging sports like pickleball, padel and esports are drawing celebrities like Patrick Mahomes, Kevin Durant and Naomi Osaka – attracted by low barriers, high engagement and format flexibility. 

Elixirr’s POV in Action 

Sport is no longer just played. It’s packaged and the most valuable owners are the ones who build meaning, not just margin. At Elixirr, we help clubs, leagues and ownership groups unlock cultural and commercial value: 

• Brand architecture and narrative strategy 

• Fan engagement and platform monetisation 

• Influencer partnerships and media IP models 

• Operating systems that support scale without losing soul 

• CRM, segmentation and data-first marketing 

Whether it’s a minority stake, a new format or a full-club buyout – we help turn capital into strategic advantage. Because as we’ve highlighted throughout the series, the stadium is no longer the only arena that matters. Distribution should be your new home ground. 

Sport is no longer just a passion project. It’s a serious, scalable asset class attracting capital from every vector we’ve covered: 

• Multi-club ownership is bringing operational scale 

• Private equity is professionalising performance 

• Sovereign wealth funds are projecting soft power 

• Celebrity owners are turning clubs into cultural brands 

Together, these forces are turning sport into one of the most dynamic investment platforms of our time – where emotional resonance, global reach and smart capital come together. What used to be a bonus – influence, narrative, audience – is now central to the playbook. Your strategy needs a story, and that story gives both on-field and off-field performance its purpose. The future belongs to those who can scale intelligently aware of the cultural, commercial and competitive forces at play to build success that lasts. 

Thanks for following along this series on Sport as an Asset Class. If you’re building, investing or operating in this space – we’d love to hear from you.