49ers Enterprises receive Red Bull warning after Leeds United partnership

Change is afoot at Leeds United. It was announced last Thursday that Red Bull had bought a minority stake in the Championship club.

The Austrian energy drinks firm are the latest high-profile name to join the Whites' ever-growing list of investors. Actors Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe both own stakes in United, who owned by 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, and their shareholders also include a number of US sports stars, including golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

As part of the new "multi-year agreement", Red Bull will be the club's shirts sponsor from next season onwards. Red Bull is already involved in football with a number of teams across the world, including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls.

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United insist Red Bull's investment will not result in a change of name or logo. "It’s not going to be the Leeds Red Bulls," said chairman Paraag Marathe. "To be fair, they understand that. They appreciate that. They respect that. They know the legacy of this club, so it’s not something they wanted either. But for me, that was table stakes (a minimum requirement for a business arrangement). That’s not going to happen.

“The only way this partnership was going to come to fruition was their recognition that, as minority investors, just as with the others, they’re there to lend advice when I need it but it’s our group’s management of this club and my leadership of this club. Let me say it again — that’s not going to change. This is a minority and minority-only partnership."

We asked Whites fans for their thoughts on the Red Bull deal. We posed the question: "is it a good thing in the long term for the club?'

Over 1,900 fans responded, with 47 per cent voting 'yes'. Forty five per selected the 'yes, but only if the deal remains in its current state' option and only two per cent chose 'no'.