Leiweke and Bodie join Drake's Venezia FC investment with €100m raise

Venezia FC has completed a significant minority investment led by Tim Leiweke and Francesca Bodie, adding two high-profile sports and venue executives to the club’s ownership structure as it pursues long-term top-flight stability.The investment forms part of a €100m fundraise being run by the club’s operating committee during the 2025–26 season, with Leiweke and Bodie becoming Venezia’s largest outside shareholders.Leiweke has been appointed co-chairman of Venezia’s operating committee alongside Rob Hamwee, while Bodie has been named club president, joining Canadian rapper Drake, who became an investor in Venezia ⁠in 2024.“VFC is an iconic team with a century-old history in the world’s most beautiful city, and we will be relentless in our pursuit of excellence and victories to enhance the legacy of this storied club," said Leiweke.“Having transformed the LA Galaxy and Toronto FC into champions and built premier sporting stadiums, we know what it takes to engineer a culture of winning and deliver fan-first experiences. We are bringing that same expertise to Venice to ensure VFC’s incredible fans have a world-class home and are a permanent fixture in Serie A.”Bodie said the investment thesis is tied to Venice and the club’s identity, with an emphasis on making Venezia more consistently competitive in Italy’s top tier.“We invested because we love this city and its people and believe in the soul of this historic club.“We are committed to honoring VFC’s deep history and distinct identity and executing a vision that will make us one of the country’s most competitive teams. VFC’s fans deserve continued success on and off the pitch and our mission is to ensure VFC reaches and cements its position as a force in Serie A."I am personally honored to work alongside Filippo Antonelli, other VFC leaders, and the VFC OpCo to continue to build a team that matches the greatness of this city.”Venezia co-owner Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham has worked with them previously and helped bring them into the operating committee’s investor group.Drake said: “Tim and Francesca are incredibly good at what they do. They know what success looks like and how to build it. We've done it before, and I'm excited to bring that energy to Venice.”Bodie succeeds Duncan Niederauer as president, with Niederauer stepping down from the role while retaining a small minority stake in the club’s ownership group.The operating committee said the expanded investor base will support financial stability and investment priorities, including progress on a new stadium at Bosco dello Sport alongside sporting operations under sporting director Filippo Antonelli.