American lifestyle entrepreneur and media personality Martha Stewart has officially become a co-owner of Swansea City Football Club, marking the latest high-profile US investment into the fabric of British football.
A Celebrity Consortium Takes Shape in Wales
The announcement was made directly by the club's owners, Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen, via an official post on Swansea City's website. Stewart now joins an eclectic group of minority stakeholders that includes the rapper Snoop Dogg and the Croatian football star Luka Modrić. The exact financial size of these celebrity investments has not been publicly disclosed.
Swansea City currently competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The move underscores a significant and growing pattern of American financial interest in clubs outside the Premier League, drawn by perceived heritage and potential returns.
The Wider Trend of Stateside Ownership
This trend is vividly illustrated across the UK football landscape. In a parallel Welsh story, the north Walian club Wrexham AFC has seen remarkable success, achieving three consecutive promotions under the ownership of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (now known as Rob Mac). Their journey is the subject of a popular Disney+ documentary series.
Furthermore, The Guardian recently revealed that Wrexham received an £18 million grant from the local council to aid stadium development. Closer to Swansea's situation, retired NFL icon Tom Brady holds a minority stake in Birmingham City. Stewart herself was in attendance for Swansea's dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Wrexham just last week.
On a separate front, Swansea City's chief executive indicated last month that the club is exploring the possibility of purchasing its council-owned stadium, the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Profile of a New Owner
Martha Stewart is a formidable business figure, often cited as America's first self-made female billionaire after building a vast lifestyle empire. She has authored 99 books, according to her official website. Her brand, though sold multiple times, remains iconic despite her 2004 conviction for conspiracy and obstruction of justice, for which she served a five-month prison sentence.
In recent years, Stewart has cultivated a notable public friendship with fellow Swansea investor Snoop Dogg, culminating in a joint appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It is important to note that neither Snoop Dogg nor Luka Modrić are listed as persons with significant control of the club on the UK's official companies register.
In their statement, Cravatt and Cohen—co-founders of the LA-based marketing firm Centerfield—highlighted the "increased exposure and increased visibility" brought by their celebrity partners. However, they tempered expectations regarding immediate squad investment, stating that the January transfer window is not expected to be particularly busy for Swansea under new head coach Vítor Matos, emphasising instead a focus on youth development.
The club has been under American ownership since 2016, with Cravatt and Cohen assuming control last year. They expressed excitement about Stewart's involvement, noting that experiencing a live match has only heightened her enthusiasm for the project.
