What in the World Why are celebrities like KSI buying football clubs?
Mar 26, 2026
Emma Middleton, BBC Sport reporter who covers football ownership, explains why celebrities are snapping up lower-league clubs. She discusses KSI’s Dagenham & Redbridge move and the surge of star investments. Short takes cover global examples, fan reactions, how much power minority investors really hold, and the risks when fame meets football.
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Minority Celebrity Stakes Amplify Club Profiles
- Celebrity minority stakes boost a lower-league club's profile quickly.
- Emma Middleton cites KSI buying a minority stake in sixth-tier Dagenham and Redbridge and promising to push them toward the Premier League.
Celebrity Cash Fills Financial Holes In Lower Leagues
- Most English lower-league clubs operate at a loss, so celebrity money can fill critical gaps.
- Emma Middleton explains many clubs outside the top five leagues rely on owner funding rather than profit.
Brands And Global Reach Often Outweigh Day-to-Day Control
- Celebrity involvement primarily delivers brand, global reach and commercial opportunities.
- Emma references Wrexham's rise after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's 2020 investment as a quantifiable success story.