LeBron James urged to 'become Sunderland fan' as high-profile merger nears completion
The Sunderland production company are set for a high-profile merger
Fulwell 73, the production company behind hit Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die, are set to merge with US counterparts The SpringHill Company, founded by NBA megastar LeBron James.
The Wearside-founded group works across film, television, and music, and is co-owned by a group including actor James Corden and producer Leo Pearlman. Alongside Sunderland ‘Til I Die, they have also worked on the likes of The Late Late Show, hosted by Corden, and The Kardashians. Financial backing for the company is partially provided by Eldridge Industries, owned by Chelsea chief Todd Boehly.
At the time of writing, Fulwell 73 are helping to develop a new £450 million film and TV studio complex in Sunderland, while it is understood that as part of the merger, shareholders will invest a further £31.7 million to help the company to grow further.
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For their part, SpringHill was founded in 2020 by LA Lakers icon James alongside sport marketer Maverick Carter. It has directors including tennis superstar Serena Williams, as well as the backing of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, Epic Games, Nike, RedBird Capital Partners, and Main Street Advisors. The group also includes the Robot Company, a marketing agency and consultancy, and Uninterrupted, which provides a platform for athletes to produce their own content.
Speaking to The Financial Times, aforementioned producer Pearlman said: “I don’t think there’s an independent production company anywhere in the world that can boast a group of financial partners quite as strong as this merger is going to have. It’s a hell of a line-up of people who are coming into this new business”.
He added that the deal, which is expected to close this quarter, would be a “merger of equals” that would position both businesses for the next “iteration of this industry”. The aim is for the merged group to become “a global content company” with entertainment at its core.
It is understood that as yet, the combined group have not settled on a name. SpringHill is named after the community where James was raised, while Fulwell 73 refers to a stand at Roker Park and the last year that Sunderland won a major trophy. Referencing the relationship between the company and the football club, Pearlman added: “We’re trying to convince LeBron and Mav to ditch their Liverpool allegiance and become Sunderland fans with the rest of us.”