Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe has confirmed that the club’s name will not be impacted by Red Bull’s investment into the club.
The Whites announced earlier this week that they have struck an agreement with the energy drinks company.
The deal will involve Red Bull becoming the shirt sponsor going forward, replacing BOXT on the front of the jersey.
It will also bring the Austrian brand into the 49ers Enterprises ownership group, with Red Bull taking on a minority stake in the Championship club.
This is not their first foray into football ownership, with the Red Bull group also owning majority shares in teams in Leipzig, Salzburg and New York, among others.
Leeds United chairman clarifies impact of Red Bull investment
Marathe has responded to potential confusion among supporters, as Red Bull have rebranded their clubs to include the company name, for example RB Salzburg or RB Leipzig.
The Leeds executive has confirmed that the arrival of this fresh investment will have no impact on the name of the club or stadium or any of their history.
“I can imagine — I don’t want to say confusion — but maybe some eyebrows raised: ‘Wait a second — what does that mean? What’s going to happen? Is our name going to change? Is it going to suddenly be turned over into giving them control?’,” said Marathe, via The Athletic.
“None of that is true or accurate.
“But I can understand that those will be the questions, which is why I wanted to make sure I talked about this.
“I hope that after unpeeling the onion a bit, fans will see this is about bringing resources to the club that help us be more competitive on the pitch — without sacrificing the integrity and the purity of what Leeds United is about.”
Leeds United’s ownership structure
| Championship standings 2023/24 | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City (C) | 46 | 48 | 97 |
| 2 | Ipswich Town (P) | 46 | 35 | 96 |
| 3 | Leeds United | 46 | 38 | 90 |
| 4 | Southampton (P) | 46 | 24 | 87 |
49ers Enterprises took full control of the Yorkshire outfit during the summer of 2023, purchasing Andrea Radrizzani’s remaining shares.
Since completing the takeover, they have received investment from a number of big names, most recently including Hollywood actor Will Ferrell.
Red Bull are the latest investor into Leeds, with the company getting involved despite their failure to gain promotion to the Premier League.
Daniel Farke’s side lost the play-off final last weekend, consigning them to another year in the Championship.
This fresh investment should help ease the financial blow of missing out on a return to the top flight.
It has been claimed that the Whites still owe up to £190 million in outgoing transfer fees, which could prove an issue when entering the transfer market this summer.
Fresh investment should be welcome at Leeds
That so many people are willing to invest in Leeds is a very positive sign for the health of the club, especially given they are still in the Championship.
The likes of Ferrell or Red Bull both obviously see potential in the club, and believe they can help it grow into something bigger.
The disappointment of last Sunday’s loss to Southampton will sting, but the team should remain competitive enough to fight for promotion again next season.
In the long-run, the outlook at Leeds is starting to look more positive now even with the financial burden they have to overcome first.
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