Playmakers Brew: Will Ferrell invests in Leeds United – The failure-opportunity-Knicks-approach – Bitcoin's 1 billion transactions

Business briefing beyond sports – by Irg Torben Bührer: The 3 news stories to be ahead of the curve

Table of Contents

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SPORTSMONEY

Classy Leeds? Will Ferrell set to join celebrity investors at football club

Ferrell has bought a small stake in Leeds to join this group with the club’s general partners — from 49ers Enterprises itself — still in day-to-day control.

Will Ferrell is the latest name of American celebrities to invest in an English club following Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's success with Wrexham. The Hollywood actor has enhanced Leeds United’s newfound status as something of a celebrity magnet by becoming the latest household name to invest in the West Yorkshire football club.

Leeds United has not officially confirmed Will's investment, though The Athletic broke down Will's role. "The indication from Elland Road is that Will Ferrell falls firmly into the limited partner category. He’s another famous face in the mix but he won’t be calling any shots in the boardroom."

Leeds are struggling to escape English football’s second tier, the Championship, but that has not deterred Ferrell from joining his fellow actor Russell Crowe, the leading golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas and the Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps in signing up as a minority investor at Elland Road.

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STRATEGY

The (Knicks’) art of perseverance: Embracing the opportunities in failure

At first glance, in fact, the New York Knicks’ best play looks like a failure.

In the heat of the NBA playoffs, the New York Knicks demonstrate a masterclass in leveraging setbacks to fuel success. With a strategy centered around snatching the most offensive rebounds in the league this season, the Knicks exemplify the essence of resilience—a quality that resonates deeply with New York’s die-hard sports fans and beyond.

This approach mirrors vital business principles. In a world where precision and perfection are prized, the Knicks’ ability to capitalize on their missed shots provides a poignant lesson in the power of perseverance, resilience, and innovation. It’s not just about bouncing back; it’s about turning every missed opportunity into a new potential for success.

The Knicks’ playbook teaches us that in business, as in basketball, the most impactful strategies often focus on leveraging one's unique strengths rather than conforming exclusively to traditional metrics of excellence. This philosophy doesn’t just apply to sports but extends to all realms of leadership. Embracing imperfection, focusing on core strengths, and maintaining agility can transform potential losses into celebrated victories.

Top Tickers

Some of the most active and relevant securities and quotes (compared to previous day's closing price)

Ticker

Name

Bitcoin

Gold Spot

Euro

Tesla

Microsoft

Nvidia

Apple

Meta

Quote

⬇️ 63,850.31

⬇️ 2,313.90

⬇️ 1.0765

⬇️ 181.19

⬇️ 412.91

⬇️ 907.60

⬆️ 183.36

⬇️ 463,22

CRYPTO

Bitcoin surpasses one billion transactions processed, eight hundred weeks after launch

Achievement underscores the expansive adoption and the increasing trust in Bitcoin’s infrastructure

Bitcoin, the trailblazer of cryptocurrencies, has officially processed over one billion transactions, marking a significant milestone eight hundred weeks since its inception. This achievement underscores the expansive adoption and the increasing trust in Bitcoin’s infrastructure.

The journey to this landmark was not just about numbers; it involved the introduction of novel protocols like Bitcoin Ordinals and Runes, which have significantly increased daily transactions. The introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs over the past year also contributed to a bullish market sentiment, further elevating the transaction volume.

Despite facing competition from blockchains like Ethereum, which has processed nearly 2.4 billion transactions, Bitcoin’s milestone is unique due to its slower transaction rate of 6 transactions per second over the last 30 days. This emphasizes the robustness and enduring appeal of Bitcoin’s network, particularly following the recent halving event that reduced the miner’s reward yet again.

As the world watches Bitcoin commence its journey towards the next billion transactions, this milestone offers a reflective point on the evolving role of cryptocurrencies in shaping our digital and financial landscapes.

Then, Birmingham City's descent to League One, despite an influx of investment and high-profile leadership, underscores the tumultuous nature of football management. Despite the takeover last summer by new owner Tom Wagner and the investment of his company Knighthead Capital Management, and despite the engagement of Tom Brady as chairman of the advisory board, Birmingham’s 13-year spell in the Championship, English football’s second tier, is over.

The tale of Birmingham City is—again—a reminder of the complexities of sports management. It illustrates that even with substantial financial backing and global star power, success is not guaranteed. The club's journey reflects broader lessons applicable to business and leadership: the importance of stability, the risks of frequent leadership changes, and the need to align strategic vision with execution.

Feel free to enjoy the rest of the day as much as possible!

Irg

Your legacy. Your choice.

Get in touch to find mentors and business opportunities, add the missing link to build your legacy as an entrepreneur or investor beyond sports and check out our Playmakers Squad community on Common Ground (THE Web3 alternative to Discord, Teams, Slack, … for people serious about blockchain).

👉 In any case, feel free to drop me a line via [email protected].

I look forward to reading from you or welcoming you as a Playmaker!

Subscribe here to Playmakers Brew