Leeds United investors Red Bull sponsor the club, and Head of Global Soccer — and Liverpool icon — Jurgen Klopp has been talking about their long-term plans.
The sponsorship deal remains in place after 2024/25, with Leeds United benefitting from the lucrative deal with the energy drinks titans. Red Bull have opened the door for further Leeds investment previously, too.
However, there are no plans for Red Bull to increase their stake in Leeds and take a larger share of the pie from the 49ers. They have benefitted from Leeds front-of-shirt deal with Red Bull as that and the Leeds kit deal with Adidas have spiked in value overnight upon promotion.
In a longer-term sense, the 49ers and Red Bull have major plans for Leeds, including the fact that a £1 billion 49ers and Red Bull plan has been outlined last season as well. Klopp has provided further details of their vision.
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Jurgen Klopp reveals details of his role at Red Bull and their long-term vision
Renowned for their multi-club model, Red Bull have had reported interest in Atletico Madrid in the last year as well. Red Bull have also invested in other English sporting ventures away from football.
Red Bull are not diluting their Leeds shares despite some more restructuring behind the scenes at Elland Road with regards to their numerous investors and shareholders.
Instead, Red Bull are more likely to have further interest in Leeds with Premier League riches coming their way in 2025. In fact, it’s been said that Red Bull have a 2030 masterplan for Leeds.
Now, it’s been stated previously that Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer Jurgen Klopp could be involved in Leeds’ transfers, in what is a mild rumour thus far. But he has influence and he has detailed their future plans.
The energy drink conglomerate is heavily involved with RB Leipzig in Germany’s Bundesliga, Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, Paris FC in Ligue 1 in France, New York Red Bulls in MLS, Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil’s Serie A and RB Omiya Ardija in Japan’s J2 League.
However, the company also has a more limited role in Leeds, as a minority shareholder and front-of-shirt sponsor. Klopp spoke to The Athletic and they report one of his roles is to call players to sprinkle his stardust and help get deals over the line.
Klopp says he reviews videos or profiles of players if he is asked, stating: “When they’re 100 per cent sure, they don’t have to show me. But I was involved in a lot at Paris FC and Leipzig.”
He says the Red Bull fit makes sense. For much of his career, he was a club builder as well as a coach, adding “We are not the final destination. We are not Liverpool… or in former times Man United!” Another loud laugh, followed by: “You can write that if you want.
“But the last thing I want to be is the old man in the room…” He puts on the voice of a geriatric. “The one who says, ‘In the past, everything was good. We did it like that!’ Hopefully I finish before I reach that point. I want to be the counterpart.
“I want to be, if necessary, the emergency call of the coaches or sporting directors, the guy they call when they don’t know who to talk to. You need to create a relationship.
“I want to instil this (stability); more trust, going through the hard times. If you are convinced, then you are convinced. The world is like that: ‘Oh my God, you are great!’ Then it is, ‘Oh no! You’re s—.’ There’s no grey area anymore. And very often life is grey.
“The football I watch is mainly Red Bull teams. Do I sit there and say, ‘What is football? How is it developing right now?’ That’s not really what I’m doing. I’m not the pope of football who tells people what to do. At least not outside the Red Bull world.”
The 49ers have a plan for increased revenue for Leeds and Red Bull
Kieran Maguire exclusively told Leeds United News of the 49ers’ plan to raise Elland Road’s ticket prices substantially eventually. He said: “There’s a big cultural difference between NFL and football fans in the UK.
“While 49ers are well aware that demand outstrips supply at Leeds United, I think they will be wanting to keep the fanbase and all of the positives that brings to the club onside.
“They will, therefore, be cautious in the short-term about significant price rises for tickets. Moving forwards as Elland Road expands, however, I would expect them to target the corporate and hospitality fanbase much more.
“If Leeds fans on the waiting list for season tickets are expecting to have the opportunity to see their team at an expanded Elland Road week in, week out, I suspect they are going to be disappointed.
“Corporate customers and individual matchday fans — and Leeds have a very international fanbase that feeds into that — are willing to pay higher prices. On the back of that, I expect the direction of travel to be that way as far as matchday revenue is concerned.
“With the likes of Man United and Spurs now easily exceeding the £100 million barrier, the only way that Leeds can keep even a modest amount behind those clubs is to have an increase in the pricing structure.”
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