Soccer
KSI becomes shareholder of football club, and it's not Arsenal
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Add football club owner to KSI's growing list of credentials across the sporting landscape.
The streaming superstar announced Tuesday that he has joined Dagenham & Redbridge FC as a shareholder and strategic partner in a move the club calls "a watershed moment for the Daggers."
KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, is a major influence on the sport of boxing through his Misfits organisation, which has helped launch crossover boxing into the mainstream. A well-known fan of Arsenal, KSI has targeted promotion to the Premier League as a long-term goal for the Daggers, who currently play in the National League South, which is the sixth tier of the English football pyramid.
“I’m so excited to start this journey," he said in a statement published by the club. "It’s gonna be a rollercoaster for sure but I hope to bring Dagenham and Redbridge back to the glory days. And once we reach that point, I want to go even further.
"Reaching the Premier League would be a dream. And I believe it is 100% doable. It will take a long time, so to the Daggers fans, please be patient. I want you to know that I am fully committed to making sure Dagenham and Redbridge is a team that everyone will know worldwide, and will be an exciting team to watch and support.
"I’ve been watching games secretly at home for months on YouTube streams so it feels so good to finally show my support publicly. For those of you that are OG fans (Race to Division One), you’ll know that this is a full circle moment for me. This is a really big deal for me and I can’t wait to go to my first game this Saturday against the league leaders, Dorking Wanderers!”
In their announcement, Dagenham & Redbridge hailed KSI's global reach, "spanning millions of followers across YouTube, music, and boxing," as the club aim to create "immense opportunities for commercial growth and youth engagement." KSI has over 17 million followers on his main YouTube channel alone, with millions more on other social media platforms.
Tuesday's announcement comes less than a week after former England striker Andy Carroll revealed he had become a shareholder in the club.
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