British influencer, entrepreneur and musician KSI has purchased a minority stake in the National League South club Dagenham & Redbridge.
Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, known online as KSI, has purchased a minority stake in English sixth-tier club Dagenham & Redbridge.
The 32-year-old content creator, well-known for his YouTube videos, drinks company PRIME Hydration, and role as a judge on the classic show Britain’s Got Talent, has set Daggers fans’ hopes high in his first interview, aiming to reach England’s top flight.
What does this high-profile acquisition mean for the Daggers and the future of non-league football in England?
KSI told Dagenham and Redbridge’s website: “I’m so excited to start this journey. 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!”
The British influencer, labelled by the Daggers’ website as a ‘global superstar’, joins as a shareholder and strategic partner, as the club looks to boost its reputation under new ownership, Happy Fan Group.
KSI’s acquisition of the National League South side highlights a seismic shift in the world of football. No longer is owning a club seen as a lose-lose situation; the Wrexham AFC story under Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac shows this to a tee.
Purchasing a stake in Dagenham and Redbridge will not have set multi-millionaire KSI back much, but he’s certain of a return on investment if he can do as he promises and get the club into the Football League.
With all the mediums of sharing a story online, there is no doubt that the content creator will hope to document his journey with the Daggers and his tens of millions of followers, whether it’s down the Wrexham documentary route or through short-form content.
Owning a football club is now looked at as an exciting prospect, and KSI, a celebrity with plenty of experience owning his own assets, will see this as a way of converging his favourite sport, his business, and online persona into one.
It’s certainly a story that’s one to look out for, as the Daggers aim to gatecrash the EFL.
