How this overlaps with Nottingham Forest’s complaint
Nottingham Forest wrote to UEFA this week arguing that Palace should be barred from the Europa League because Textor also controls Olympique Lyonnais, another qualifier.
If Butler’s consortium closes a deal quickly, Textor would exit Palace before UEFA’s 27 June decision window—removing the multi-club conflict that Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has highlighted. In other words, the very purchase Butler is leading could neutralise Forest’s protest and keep Palace in Europe.
Why an NBA superstar wants a slice of English football
- Global reach – The Premier League’s 212-territory broadcast footprint dwarfs the NBA’s, giving Butler a platform for his coffee brand, lifestyle ventures and post-career profile.
- Asset appreciation – Palace’s valuation has risen roughly 5× in a decade; analysts still see double-digit annual growth as new U.S. rights kick in for 2028-31.
- Cultural prestige – Selhurst Park is in south-London’s entertainment corridor, making the club a magnet for music and fashion tie-ins—areas Butler already courts.
- Solve-and-scale play – By untangling the UEFA impasse, Butler’s group could buy at a discount, then benefit from Europa League prize money and brand exposure straight away.
American stars already in the English game
- LeBron James – Liverpool (2 % stake since 2011): Liverpool’s value has ballooned from $300 m to over $4 b, turning a reported $6.5 m outlay into an eight-figure paper gain. (goal.com)
- Tom Brady – Birmingham City (minority owner and advisory-board chair, 2023): Brady says he wants to “bring a winning mentality” while leveraging performance-science know-how. (espn.com)
- J.J. Watt – Burnley (minority stake, 2024): The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year calls Burnley “my new adrenaline fix” after retiring from football. (forbes.com)
- Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas – Leeds United (minority stakes, 2023): The major-winning golfers describe Leeds as a “long-term diversification play” outside golf’s earnings cycle. (pgatour.com)
- Russell Westbrook – Leeds United (part of 49ers Enterprises takeover, 2024): Westbrook says English football offers a “global brand stage” larger than any individual NBA market. (sports.yahoo.com)
Why they keep coming
English clubs offer:
- Explosive media rights growth—the Premier League’s U.S. deal alone jumped 70 % in 2028.
- Scarcity value—just 20 top-flight licences, protected by stringent promotion/relegation rules.
- Real-world synergy—nutrition, data analytics and content studios transfer neatly from U.S. sports.
- Cultural storytelling—Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon all mine English clubs for global docuseries.
Key question: If Butler’s bid lands before UEFA’s judgement day, does Nottingham Forest still press its case—or has this whole saga simply accelerated Palace’s transition to another high-profile U.S. owner?
Either way, when the Europa League draw is made in August, the story behind who earned the right to be there may be as dramatic as anything that happens on the pitch.
