Tom Brady buys Birmingham City! NFL legend adds minority stake of 148-year-old English

Tom Brady is ready to give football a chance.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion has invested in Birmingham City, a 148-year-old soccer team in England’s second division, the EFL Championship.

Neither the size of Brady’s stake nor the price he paid has been revealed publicly. Regardless, Brady will have a roll with the team, applying ‘his extensive leadership experience’ while advising ‘on health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery,’ according to a club statement.

‘So here’s the deal, I’m officially coming on board at Birmingham City Football Club,’ Brady said in a social media video. ‘And maybe you’re asking what do you know about English football, Tom? Well let’s just say I’ve got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they may translate pretty well.’

Brady, who celebrates his 46th birthday on Thursday, already owns a minority stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. He also had plans to buy into the NFL’s Raiders as well, until the league’s new rule blocking equity distribution to employees put that deal in jeopardy. Then last month, he bought a racing boat team with Rafael Nadal and Formula One star Sergio Perez.

NFL icon Tom Brady has become a minority owner of Birmingham City Football Club

The seven-time Super Bowl winner will be Chairman of the Advisory Board at St Andrew’s

Brady’s acquisition comes shortly after American billionaire Tom Wagner became the club’s chairman as part of his ongoing takeover of the club. 

Birmingham City opens its season against Swansea City in Wales on Saturday in the club’s first game as it hopes to return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2010-2011 season. 

And in that sense, Brady’s investment offers upside potential. Whereas London’s Chelsea sold for $5.6 billion last year, Birmingham City went for just $44 million to Wagner’s group. 

Promotion is anything but a given (Birmingham City finished 17th last season) but if the club can ascend to the EPL, Brady will have a much more lucrative asset on his hands. 

‘Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent,’ Wagner said in a team statement. ‘We are setting the bar at world class.

‘Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board, Tom will have a direct impact on the club. The men’s, women’s, and academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge.

‘The goal that Tom has committed to own is to make Birmingham City a respected leader in nutrition, health, wellness, and recovery across the world of football.’

The 46-year-old has been building his business empire since retiring from the NFL in 2023

Burnley minority investor JJ Watt responded to his old NFL rival on Twitter following the deal

The former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback joins a number of other American sports stars to invest in English soccer clubs.

Most famously, LeBron James has a minority stake of Liverpool FC, while PGA Tour golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are in the process of buying shares of Leeds United. 

Former NFL player J.J. Watt recently became a minority investor in Burnley, which has just been promoted to the Premier League.

Naturally, Watt was quick to respond to his former rival’s Birmingham City acquisition. 

‘Well well well, what do we have here,’ Watt tweeted. ‘Happy for you, wishing Birmingham all the best and hope to see you in the PL real soon! Up The Clarets!’