KSI's 'transformative' co-ownership of Dagenham & Redbridge has sixth tier club 'daring to dream' of rise to Premier League

The 32-year-old, estimated to be worth £80 million, was in attendance at Victoria Road on Saturday to witness a 1-0 victory over league leaders Dorking Wanderers. His presence had an immediate impact on the community, with the match-day attendance nearly doubling to 2,281. KSI was seen in the stands alongside former Liverpool and England forward Andy Carroll, who serves as both a player and a minority shareholder at the club.

By moving into football club ownership, KSI joins a growing list of A-list stars investing in the British game. He follows the lead of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac at Wrexham, Tom Brady at Birmingham City, and Michael B. Jordan at Bournemouth. For a man who built his empire on FIFA gaming videos, the move represents a full-circle moment in his career which has spanned music, boxing, and his Prime Hydration business.

John Grabowski, the Daggers' majority shareholder and CCO, believes the influencer's involvement will be a game-changer for the sixth-tier outfit. Speaking to SunSport, Grabowski said: “It’s an incredible opportunity for the club, incredibly exciting. I think we saw the beginning of that against Dorking. We all hope for even more afternoons like that, and I think if we can get that there will be a lot of smiles on people’s faces around here.”

While the club currently sit in the middle of the National League South table, KSI has not been shy about his long-term goals. The internet star has bullishly declared that his ultimate objective is to take the Daggers all the way to the Premier League, claiming he can put the East London side on the “worldwide stage.” It is a bold vision that has captured the imagination of the fan base and the wider football public.

Grabowski is more measured regarding the timeline but agrees the impact is massive. He added: “I just want us to be a little bit better every day. That’s my job. We can dare to dream, but my job is to try and help this club be a little bit better every day. But [KSI’s arrival] is transformative. It’s transformative.” The focus remains on sustainable growth while leveraging the massive global reach that KSI brings to the table.

The Daggers were relegated from the National League last season and are currently working their way through a rebuild under manager Lee Bradbury. They sit 12th in the standings, six points adrift of the play-off spots with 10 games remaining. While the Premier League remains a distant dream for now, the club hierarchy is focused on maintaining the soul of the club while embracing this new "transformative" chapter of their history.

Reflecting on the balance between tradition and new investment, Philadelphia-born Grabowski noted: “A non-league football club is successful if it can continue to exist for 25 to 50 years off the community and its fans. You can’t sleep on that, you can’t take fans for granted. You have to commit to entertaining them and welcoming new ones. And I think JJ’s [KSI] involvement here does both of those things.”