West Ham have a “massive” opportunity to boost their revenues after opening talks with Shaquille O’Neal about taking a stake in the club, sources have told Soccer4U.
The CLV Group CEO Neil Joyce exclusively revealed to Soccer4U the east Londoners could tap into O’Neal’s “huge” global following to help improve their own fanbase if he were to invest in the club.
The Sun reported on 26 June the former basketball superstar is in talks about taking a stake in West Ham and investing some “serious” money.
O’Neal is believed to have been taken in by the atmosphere at the London Stadium when he attended a game towards the end of last season.
The 52-year-old could potentially open up West Ham to fans of his former team the LA Lakers – the largest-supported NBA franchise – as well as basketball supporters across the globe.
West Ham could tap into Shaquille O’Neal’s global fanbase
Interest in the Premier League has soared in recent years as the most-watched league in the world continues to increase its global appeal.
There has also been a wave of US-based celebrities showing an interest in British clubs, with LeBron James taking a stake in Liverpool, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buying Wrexham, Tom Brady investing in Birmingham City and Will Ferrell among several stars involved with Leeds United.
The CLV Group estimates there to be up to £860million on offer to European clubs in additional revenue ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico.
West Ham are one of nine Premier League clubs touring the US this summer, with an estimated 36.5 million American football fans believed to be undecided about which European team they want to support.
The most popular sport among the majority of those fans is believed to be basketball, placing West Ham in an ideal position to tap into that market if O’Neal were to invest in the club.
Although Joyce notes there are potential difficulties due to the London Stadium not having a roof, he told Soccer4U there could be a possibility for the Premier League side to host basketball games at their ground with the help of O’Neal’s contacts.
It’s no secret shares in West Ham are available after Vanessa Gold, the daughter of former joint-chair David Gold, put a 10-per-cent stake in the club up for sale last October.
David Sullivan currently holds a 38.8-per-cent share in the club, while Daniel Kretinsky owns 27 per cent, Gold’s stake is worth 25.1 per cent and Albert “Tripp” Smith retains an eight-per-cent shareholding at the London Stadium.
