Leeds United set for £18m windfall as images of fan favourite emerge

Leeds United are on course to break a club record thanks to a blockbuster new commercial deal.

The West Yorkshire side may have fallen at the final hurdle in their bid to win promotion back to the Premier League but they remain in a strong financial position.

Even in the second tier, Leeds’ commercial income in particular is the envy of most top-flight sides.

Figures from their first season back in the Championship are not yet available, but there will not have been too dramatic a drop-off from the £48m they earned in 2022-23.

The figure will have fallen somewhat, but Leeds remarkable shirt sales statistics and wider appeal to sponsors will have insulated them against a dramatic crash.

And the commercial deal with Red Bull, who have bought Leeds’ front-of-shirt sponsor rights as part of their minority investment in the club, will further protect them.

Speaking exclusively to TBR, finance expert Kieran Maguire projected that deal could be worth around £8m per year, potentially rising to £10m if Leeds get back to the Premier League.

Maguire also suggested that Leeds could host a ‘Red Bull Cup’, inviting the Austrian energy drinks company’s other clubs in Germany, Brazil and beyond.

This would be typical of Red Bull, who spare no expense when it comes to marketing.

And the latest updates from Elland Road suggest that Red Bull are investing the same resources into their latest football venture.

Stuart Dallas features in Leeds’ Red Bull promotion

Leeds trousered £18m from sponsorship alone in 2022-23, the last year for which full financial data is available.

That was a record for the club, but they will surpass that figure again in 2024-25 thanks to the Red Bull deal.

Significantly, Red Bull have already rolled out a number of advertising and content campaigns involving Leeds, including bringing several players to Red Bull Racing HQ last week.

Now, recently-retired Leeds fan favourite Stuart Dallas is getting involved.

Leeds posted a number of images on their website of Dallas spending the day with Red Bull stunt pilot Dario Costa, with the former utility player accompanying Costa on a number of airborne manoeuvres.

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TBR Analysis: Dallas stunt illustrates Red Bull approach at Leeds

While it might seem trivial at first, the Dallas marketing campaign is emblematic of Red Bull’s intended approach at Leeds.

They do not intend to be a silent partner and will create as much synergy between their brand and Leeds as is possible.

Historically, this has involved changing club colours or names, although Leeds CEO Paraag Marathee has assured fans this will not be the case at Elland Road.

The Red Bull partnership has already had one moment of controversy, with some supporters unhappy with the colour red being used on Leeds shirts because of its associations with arch rivals Man United.

However, on the whole, the alliance can only be good news for Leeds – as long as promises are kept.