LeBron James bought a 2% stake in Liverpool FC for $6.5 million in 2011. Today, that slice of the club would be worth about $124 million — a 19-fold return. But James no longer holds it. He traded the stake in 2021 for roughly 1% of Fenway Sports Group, the parent company that owns Liverpool, making him the group’s first Black partner.
From $6.5M to $124M: The Numbers
Forbes now values Liverpool FC at $6.2 billion, the fourth-highest in world soccer. The 2% stake James originally acquired through a marketing deal with Fenway Sports Group would be worth $124 million at that valuation. That’s a 19x gain on his initial $6.5 million investment over 15 years.
Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool in October 2010 for about £300 million from Tom Hicks and George Gillett. The club’s value has since climbed more than 20-fold in dollar terms, driven by global broadcast deals, commercial revenue, and on-field success including a Champions League title in 2019 and a Premier League crown in 2020.
The 2021 Swap and FSG Partnership
In 2021, James swapped his direct Liverpool stake for about 1% of Fenway Sports Group itself. The move gave him equity across FSG’s entire portfolio, which includes the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the NASCAR team RFK Racing, as well as Liverpool. James and his business partner Maverick Carter became the first Black partners in FSG’s history.
That same year, investment firm RedBird Capital paid $750 million for roughly 10% of Fenway Sports Group, a deal that valued FSG at about $7.5 billion. James’ 1% stake at that time would have been worth around $75 million, though the exact terms of his swap were not disclosed.
Additional Equity in 2023
James and Carter received more equity in Fenway Sports Group in a 2023 deal, though the size of that additional stake hasn’t been made public. The move further deepened the basketball star’s ties to the sports empire run by John Henry and Tom Werner.
James has been an active investor beyond sports, with stakes in companies like Blaze Pizza and SpringHill Entertainment. But his FSG partnership remains one of his highest-profile business moves, linking him to a Premier League giant and a historic MLB franchise.
What’s Next for LeBron and FSG
Fenway Sports Group continues to expand. The 2023 equity grant suggests James and Carter remain key figures in the group’s long-term strategy. Whether FSG will pursue further acquisitions or eventually take Liverpool public is an open question — one that could determine the ultimate value of James’ stake.
