— NBA superstar LeBron James’ former $6.5 million investment in English Premier League side Liverpool Football Club would now be worth well over $100 million, driven by the team’s sporting success and commercial growth since his initial involvement nearly 15 years ago.
James first became involved with Liverpool FC in 2011, acquiring a 2% minority stake through a strategic partnership with Fenway Sports Group (FSG). As a high-profile investor expected to enhance Liverpool’s global brand visibility, he likely received a discounted rate in exchange for his marketing influence and promotional value. However, the specific financial terms were not publicly disclosed.
In March 2021, James converted his Liverpool holding into a 1% stake in FSG’s broader sports portfolio, ending his direct ownership in Liverpool FC.
Since then, Liverpool’s valuation has been estimated at approximately $6 billion following its 20th Premier League title in April 2025. This figure, reported by The Investment League, is a forward-looking projection reflecting recent sporting achievements and anticipated future commercial growth. If James had retained his original 2% stake, it might now be valued at approximately $120 million.
Following the conversion, James’ returns have been tied to FSG’s overall performance. As of 2024, Forbes valued FSG at $12.95 billion. Based on this estimate, a 1% stake would be worth approximately $129.5 million, a nearly 20-fold increase on his original investment. There is no publicly available information confirming whether James contributed additional funds when he became an FSG partner.
Jordan Major, co-author of the Finbold report, commented:
“Although valuations based on forward-looking projections carry inherent uncertainties, Liverpool’s new estimated valuation near $6 billion reflects strong optimism driven by recent sporting success and anticipated future revenue growth. This growth, alongside FSG’s broader performance, is likely to have significantly increased the value of James’ diversified stake.”
Michelle Dryden has come full-circle back to the exciting world of news media. Dryden lives in New Jersey where she is an Independent Multimedia Journalist. With college degrees and experiences in both digital and traditional journalism since 1996, Dryden is a news veteran. The Media Pub news blog publishes core news and community features. What's your story? Email me at mdryden@themediapub.com. Cheers!!!
