Nike to release special LeBron James and Liverpool collaboration jersey early this yearÂ
LeBron James and Liverpool have collaborated to make a special jersey to be released by Nike early this year. James has been a minority owner of the famous football team since 2011.
In an exclusive report by Patrick Conroy of Footy Headlines, Nike is set to release a special jersey this season. It will be a collaboration between Liverpool and "The King." Nike already released the "Liverpool x LeBron James" shoes last year.
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner first revealed the project back in November 2021 in an interview with The Boston Globe.
"We're doing a product line with LeBron and Liverpool," Werner said. "Nike is creating seven or eight products that connect LeBron with soccer. I don't know specifics yet, but they're going to create seven or eight products that rival the connection that Michael Jordan has with Nike."
Footy Headlines noted that the jersey will be launched before the end of the 2022-23 season. However, it's still unclear if the special jerseys will be worn by Liverpool in a game or exclusive to fans. The color and design of the jersey are still unknown at the moment.
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When did LeBron James become a Liverpool minority owner?
Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool in 2010 for $478 million from George N. Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks. LeBron James then bought a 2.0% stake in the team a year later for $ 6.5 million. The investment paid off for James since his stake grew to almost $100 million last year.
Liverpool has been very successful since FSG became the owner. The team has won eight trophies since 2011, including one Champions League, one English Premiere League, two League Cups and one FA cup.
James and his business partner Maverick Carter then exchanged his 2.0% of Liverpool for a 1.0% stake in FSG. As an investor in FSG, James is also the minority owner of the Boston Red Sox in the MLB and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL.
Carter had this to say about their relationship with FSG back in 2021:
"Working with Fenway Sports Group for the past decade has taught LeBron and me so much about the business on a global scale, and we've always believed it would lead to something bigger."
It has been widely speculated that "The King" wants to own an NBA team in Las Vegas. With his connection to FSG, James could become the face of the ownership group. James has shown that he's a savvy businessman, becoming a billionaire last year.
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