Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has become part of the ownership group at English Premier League club Everton FC, increasing the American influence on the club at the ownership level.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame point guard has joined Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which owns the club as part of The Friedkin Group.
Led by chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin, the Friedkin Group completed its takeover of Everton in December 2024, buying out Farhad Moshiri’s majority and eventually taking a 99.5% stake in the club via Roundhouse Capital Holdings.
It marks a new era of ownership for the storied English club, which is one of only six teams to have been ever-present in the country’s top division (from which teams can be relegated to the second-tier EFL Championship) in the Premier League era.
“I’m honoured to be joining Everton’s ownership at such an important moment,” said Kidd. “With a new stadium on the horizon and a bright future ahead, it’s a great moment to come on board.”
As Kidd alludes to, the club is moving into a brand new waterfront stadium for the 2025/26 season.
The facility on the banks of the River Mersey is one of the few positives to emerge from the previous ownership’s stewardship of the club prior to the Friedkin takeover, though the club and the fans will miss its historic current stadium, Goodison Park.
As the club looks to return to a more stable financial footing, the new stadium should offer some additional income and help move the club into a new era.
The new investment is part of that, and Kidd’s involvement will also help raise the club’s profile in the United States.
“On behalf of The Friedkin Group and the Everton Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome Jason to our ownership group,” said Roundhouse Capital Holdings director and Everton executive chairman, Marc Watts.
“As one of the NBA’s greatest players and now a successful coach, his knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource for Everton.
“He is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future for this storied club.”
The move comes on the back of the news last week that American billionaire Christopher Sarofim has also invested in Roundhouse Capital Holdings.
The ownership group hopes Sarofim’s involvement will help further stabilize the club’s financial footing.
“Christopher Sarofim is someone I have known and respected for many years,” said Friedkin.
“He brings experience, sound judgment, and wisdom that will be valuable as we continue to drive the club forward in all areas.”
The use of Roundhouse Capital Holdings as the club’s ownership and investment vehicle will allow for the involvement of figures like Sarofim and Kidd at various levels of investment.
The club will now look to build from a firmer financial footing, helped by the new stadium, before taking the next, difficult, step of converting this into sporting success.
The Premier League is increasingly competitive in mid-table as well as at the top.
Several clubs have combined the financial experience of their owners, which has become increasingly necessary at this level of football, with savvy sporting decisions and the use of data and analytics.
Everton is looking to break into this group but is at a disadvantage due to a period of financial and sporting uncertainty under its previous ownership, which led to points deductions during the 2022/23 season.
During this time, the club managed to avoid relegation from the Premier League, often against the odds, and has enjoyed a promising period towards the end of the 2024/25 season under returning manager David Moyes, who previously managed the club between 2002 and 2013.
It is now playing its final games at Goodison Park amid a wave of emotion, which includes sadness that the club is leaving its historic, storied home, but also optimism about the future.
The recent news of further investment will not be of interest to fans unless it converts into a more positive outlook on the field, and at least a promise of some sporting success further down the line.
Kidd’s involvement will add some sporting experience on top of his financial investment.
