In the English-speaking world, it has become fashionable to spend money on lower division clubs in search of a story of overcoming and growth worthy of a series like 'Ted Lasso'. Now it is the turn of brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, known, among other things, for accusing Mark Zuckerberg of stealing their idea to create Facebook and for becoming billionaires thanks to cryptocurrencies

The team chosen by the Winklevoss twins is Real Bedford FC, who play in the Division One Central of the Southern League, which would be the equivalent of the eighth tier of English football. Negotiations began in April 2024, but the deal has finally been completed now, almost a year later, for a sum of 3.58 million pounds (just over 4.3 million euros), according to Sky Sports. This money will allow the brothers to acquire 45% of the club and become co-owners. Although it was rumored that the investment could be made in bitcoins, it will finally be made in legal tender

The 'Pirates' team

These 'cryptobros' are not the first to take an interest in Real Bedford FC. The team was already bought by cryptocurrency podcaster Peter McCormack in 2021, who stated that he had the goal of taking Bedford to the Premier League. In fact, it was his initiative to change the name (it was renamed Real Bedford FC for the 2022-2023 season) and the badge (it now features a skull and two tibias, so they are known as "the pirates"). Before the millionaire acquisition, the average attendance at the team's matches was 40 fans.

Cameron Winklevoss stated a year ago the motivation for his investment: "We believe that Real Bedford has the ability to defy the odds, change the establishment and dethrone the incumbents. We love 'underdog' stories, because they can literally change the game." Real Bedford is undergoing other changes at the same time: it recently announced that it is in negotiations for a merger with Bedford Town FC, who play one division above. In the official statement, they explain that they intend to combine "Real Bedford's commercial success and global reach" with "Bedford Town's rich history, loyal fans and infrastructure." It is also noteworthy that the amount paid by the Winklevoss twins is the largest investment in English football history excluding the top two divisions.

Real Bedford
Real Bedford
Real Bedford https://t.co/nKWyXzl4GE

— Tyler Winklevoss (@tyler) April 17, 2024

Investments in small teams continue

Of the 13 sponsors listed on Real Bedford FC's main page, 11 are cryptocurrency-related (Gemini, which is owned by the Winklevoss brothers; Galaxy, Iren, Luxor, CoinCorner, Ledger, Wolf, Casa, BotanixLabs, Fold and Plexus). The remaining two are from different fields: a beer manufacturer (Brewpoint) and a local Bedford refurbishment, plumbing and electrical company (PJH). Even Real Bedford's official website asks for donations for its youth teams via Bitcoin

The Winklevoss brothers are not the first to bet on investing in the lower leagues of English soccer. Rob McElhenney and actor Ryan Reynolds bought Wrexham in 2021 and have already placed it in League One, the third division in the British system. Several former Manchester United players (such as Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes) did the same with Salford City, which is already in League Two. Rob Hepburn, the lawyer who has advised the Winklevoss on their latest investment, told Sky News: "The deal again demonstrates the appeal that English soccer has for investors, especially when it can be exploited from a media point of view."

A life like a movie

But who are the Winklevoss twins? The surname became particularly famous following the 2010 film 'The Social Network', which deals with the origin of Facebook. The brothers met Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard, shared their incipient social networking projects and allegedly reached a verbal agreement to share the profits. When this agreement was not honored, they sued Zuckerberg for stealing their idea and code to create Facebook. The lawsuit was not settled until 2011, when the brothers opted to stop claiming more money in compensation

Meanwhile, the Winklevoss' lives have been most fulfilling. They rowed at Harvard, with good results for the university, and went on to become Olympic rowers as a pair in Beijing 2008, where they finished in a respectable sixth position. Outside of their sporting life, they founded Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange platform, and became the first billionaires by this means. They are now estimated to have a net worth of around 2.14 billion pounds, and have become a big supporter of Donald Trump in his campaign to be president of the United States