Tom Brady buys minority stake in English soccer club Birmingham City

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- NFL icon Tom Brady purchased a minority stake in Birmingham City of the Championship league, the second-tier England-based soccer club announced Thursday.

"Birmingham City is an iconic club with so much history and passion and to be part of the Blues is a real honor for me," Brady said in a news release. "BCFC is built on teamwork and determination and I'm excited to work alongside the board, management and players to make our Second City club second to none.

"I've been part of some amazing teams in my day, and I'm looking forward to applying my perspective to create that same success here in Birmingham."

Brady entered a partnership with Knighthead Capital Management to become a minority owner in the club. He will serve as chairman of a new advisory board and work directly with the club's board and members of the Birmingham City leadership team.

Birmingham City said Brady also will work with the club's sports science department as an adviser on "health, nutrition, wellness and recovery systems and programs." He also will help to improve global marketing efforts and to identify new commercial partnership opportunities.

Brady previously teamed up with the Knighthead ownership group for several ventures. In 2022, Brady joined the ownership group by buying a stake in a Major League Pickleball team. In March, Brady's company -- Brady -- was announced as the apparel partner for Knighthead's World Endurance Championship racing team.

On March 23, Las Vegas Aces majority owner Mark Davis announced that Brady agreed to purchase a minority stake in the WNBA franchise.

Earlier this year, Brady also was in negotiations to purchase a stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. Davis serves as the majority owner of that NFL franchise.

Brady, 45, announced his retirement in February. The seven-time Super Bowl champion said in 2022 that he would join Fox Sports as a broadcaster. He plans to join the network in the fall of 2024.

Birmingham City finished 17th last season in the Championship. They were last relegated from the Premier League after the 2010-11 campaign. They finished fourth in the 2011-12 Championship, but haven't finished better than 10th since 2015-16.

Birmingham City was promoted to the Premier League three times from 2001-02 to 2008-09. The Blues will battle Swansea in a Championship match Saturday in Swansea, Wales.