Football Meets Cricket: Real Madrid Star Jude Bellingham Invests In Birmingham Phoenix; Buys Minority Stake

 

 

The sporting world is all set to witness a football-cricket crossover soon. England footballer Jude Bellingham has taken a minority stake in the Hundred franchise Birmingham Phoenix. Notably, the franchise is worth around £1 million.

 

Knighthead Capital, the American investment fund that owns Birmingham City FC, bought a total of 49 % stake in the club last year to become the co-owner along with the host County Warwickshire.

Warwickshire confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Bellingham bought a minority stake from both parties. Consequently, the club owns majority control of the team with 50.4% stake while Knighthead Capital hold 48.4 % stake.

 

The move would now see one of England’s biggest football names joining the cricket ownership, and will add another name to The Hundred’s growing investor base. Birmingham Phoenix was valued at around £82 million during the competition’s recent investment round which means that Bellingham owns around £820,000.

"I love Birmingham. I'm very grateful for what the whole city of Birmingham has done for me. I love cricket as well, so when I got the opportunity to get involved I didn't really think twice about it, so I'm so happy to be on board," Bellingham said in a statement.

 

"I'm so grateful to Birmingham, the Stourbridge area and the West Midlands as a whole. I got the best upbringing into football, into life through Birmingham City. I feel like I owe the city something. Right now, it's difficult with how busy I am with football, but if there's a way in which I can help then I want to and this feels like a good way."

“Knighthead is committed to bringing communities together through sport and driving growth for the region through our investments in football, cricket and netball. Working with Jude is another important step in building a vibrant sporting scene that everyone in the West Midlands can get behind,” Kyle Kneisly, Partner at Knighthead, said in his statement.

 

“Jude is a fantastic role model who embodies everything brilliant about the spirit of Birmingham and the West Midlands, having grown up and made his breakthrough in sports here. There is no doubt that his involvement with the Hundred will help spark interest in cricket from people who have never engaged with the sport, creating new generations of fans for the game.”