Rory McIlroy’s decision to decline an opportunity to invest in Leeds United, alongside Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, is expected to ignite the enthusiasm of Manchester United fans.
PGA Tour superstar Rory McIlroy had the chance to become an investor in the English football club, Leeds United, but he opted not to pursue the opportunity, as reported by the BBC.
Conversely, his fellow major champions, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, recently revealed their ownership stake in the former English Premier League (EPL) club.
McIlroy explained, “They asked me if I wanted to come on board, and I was like, as a Manchester United fan, I can’t get involved with that.” He expressed his interest in investing in Manchester United should the opportunity arise.
This interest stems from the Glazer family’s announcement in November 2022 that they were considering selling the club that McIlroy has passionately supported since their purchase in 2005 for $957 million. McIlroy remarked, “To have even a minuscule ownership stake in the club you grew up cheering for would be quite special.”
While Thomas and Spieth seized the chance to own a portion of Leeds United, McIlroy’s close friend, Rickie Fowler, also chose not to participate.
Notably, McIlroy recently made an investment in Formula 1 as a backer for the F1 Team Alpine, recognizing the trend among sports stars to make strategic financial moves.
He emphasized that he has been closely following this trend and believes that F1, especially in the United States, is experiencing significant growth, and his investment in F1 has a compelling narrative.
McIlroy spoke about how the influx of investors into F1 is stabilizing the teams and boosting their confidence for the future.
Additionally, he is actively involved in the PIF and PGA Tour deal, sitting on the PGA Tour Policy Board. In this capacity, he has become a prominent advocate for the PGA Tour, often defending it against criticism from LIV Golf supporters.
Furthermore, McIlroy highlighted that professional golf is the latest sector that the Saudis are interested in investing in, coinciding with his recent endorsement of the sport he’s supporting.
He also pointed out that Formula 1’s management differs from that of the PGA Tour and that golf can learn from F1 in terms of certain organizational aspects and procedures.
Unlike the PGA Tour, Formula 1 had rejected the Saudi offer to acquire global motorsports earlier in the year.
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