LeBron James is known for his incredible skills on the basketball court but he is also a very smart businessman. Back in 2011 he decided to buy a small part of the famous English soccer team Liverpool FC. He paid about six and a half million dollars for a two percent stake in the club. At the time some people thought it was just a hobby for the superstar but it has turned into one of his best financial moves.
Since he joined as an owner Liverpool has become one of the most successful teams in the world. They won the massive Champions League tournament and finally took home the Premier League trophy. Because of this success the value of the entire team has skyrocketed. Today the club is worth about five billion and four hundred million dollars.
This means that LeBron’s small slice of the team is now worth over one hundred million dollars. His original investment has grown by more than fifteen hundred percent in less than fifteen years. He eventually traded his direct stake in the soccer team for a share in the larger company that owns other teams like the Boston Red Sox. This move allowed him to grow his wealth even more while staying connected to the sports he loves.
Experts say LeBron picked the perfect time to get involved with global sports. Soccer has become much more popular and valuable all over the world since he first signed his deal. By thinking ahead and being patient he has turned a simple marketing partnership into a massive fortune. It proves that he is playing a championship level game both on the court and in the boardroom.
