49ers take bigger role at Leeds after raising EPL club stake

The San Francisco 49ers will take a greater role in the running of English Premier League club Leeds after raising their stake to 37% on Monday.

Paraag Marathe, the president of 49ers Enterprises, will become vice chairman of the northern English club under Andrea Radrizzani, who remains the majority owner. The 49ers first bought 15% of the team from Radrizzani in 2018 and the club has since secured promotion back to the Premier League.

“Our investment two-and-a-half years ago was to dip our toes in the water,” Marathe said. “We really felt like Leeds had the bones of a powerful big global club and just from their global fan base and the supporter base and everything that they have. As we’ve spent more time there we’ve realized that to be very true, and the opportunity to be very great and so it didn’t take us very long to realize we wanted to be involved in a much deeper way.”