Ian Miller
Videos by OutKick
Former NFL legend Tom Brady isn’t taking retirement slowly.
The 46-year-old has been spotted with supermodels, attended sporting events, and then just over a week ago, joined the ownership group of an English soccer team.
READ: TOM BRADY JOINING OWNERSHIP OF BIRMINGHAM CITY FC OF THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Birmingham City, founded in 1875, has for the past 12 seasons competed in the English Football League, just below the Premier League.
Brady’s investment is part of the team’s hope to move up a tier and finally reach the top level of English soccer. And he decided to head to the UK to see what his money is going towards.
On his way to England, he posted about his plans to visit a nearby pub.
And boy did fans jump at the opportunity to meet him.
After visiting the pub to sign some autographs and meet fans, Brady went to St. Andrew’s for his new team’s match against Leeds United.
Brady Proves To Be Good Luck For New Team
A 91st minute penalty conversion by Lukas Jutkiewic gave Birmingham City a 1-0 win, an auspicious debut for the new owner.
Perhaps influenced by the success of Wrexham under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Brady’s investment is expected to pay dividends for both sides.
“Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent,” Tom Wagner, Birmingham City chairman said in a statement. “We are setting the bar at world class. Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. … Tom will have a direct impact on the Club. The men’s, women’s, and Academy teams are going to benefit from (his) knowledge.”
Celebrity connections can significantly raise the profile of individuals soccer teams, and Birmingham may be able to leverage Brady’s fame into more exposure in the U.S.
Maybe not to the same level as Lionel Messi with Inter Miami, but for a team looking to make a big step up, any little bit helps.
And for fans around Birmingham, they’ll a lot more likely to see a famous face walking around.
