The San Francisco 49ers announced on Thursday that they have entered a partnership with Leeds United, the soccer club based in West Yorkshire, England.49ers Enterprises, which will become a minority investor in Leeds United, has partnered with existing majority shareholder and Leeds United club chairman Andrea Radrizzani.The collaboration is part of a wider business alliance between Leeds United’s parent company, Aser, and 49ers Enterprises, the 49ers said in its release.”This strategic partnership enables Leeds United to align with and gain invaluable expertise from the owners of one of the biggest global sports entities,” Radrizzani said in a release on Leeds’ official website. “The 49ers are an innovative, successful organization and we are delighted to have access to such a rich source of business and sporting expertise. This exciting partnership builds on the foundations we have laid down at the club in the last 12 months and we can assure supporters that the funds invested will go towards improving results on the pitch.”In conjunction with the partnership, Paraag Marathe, who is the president of 49ers Enterprises and executive vice president of football operations, has assumed a seat on the Leeds United board of directors.”It is truly an honor to be invited to join the board of a football club as storied as Leeds United. I share the vision that Andrea has for returning Leeds United to greatness,” said Marathe, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area. “I believe that the knowledge and experience we bring to the table combined with the hard work being done by Andrea and his talented team will make that vision a reality.”Leeds United has spent the past eight seasons competing in the English Football League Championship, which is the second-highest overall division of British soccer behind the Premier League.
