Sur la cour, Serena WilliamsShe is a 23-time singles grand champion, a four time Olympic gold medalist, and one of the most prominent players in tennis. It has helped her to become an active businesswoman.
Williams owns a fashion line called S by Serena and has endorsement deals with companies like Nike and Beats by Dre. She also serves as a director for Poshmark, Momentive, and SurveyMonkey’s parent company.
Williams plans to expand her portfolio. Lewis Hamilton, seven-time Wimbledon champion, joined Martin Broughton, ex-Livingstone chairman, on April 21st. bid to buy Chelsea. Roman Abramovich, owner of the club, offered it for sale earlier this month.
Williams and Hamilton joined Broughton in buying Chelsea’s soccer club. This is just the latest example of a growing trend of professional athletes entering the ownership ranks. These are just a few examples of recent owners who have taken control of sporting teams.
Marshawn Lynch – Seattle Kraken
Lynch spent 13 years in Seattle as a Seahawks player, but now his new sports venture is in Washington. As a minority investor, he joined the Seattle Kraken owner team on April 18. Lynch, a former NFL running back, will participate in the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” campaign. Kraken owner Tod Leeke stated that Lynch expressed an interest in shadowing him for knowledge about hockey CEO operations.
Lynch stated, “This is something that I would never have imagined.” CNBC in a statement. “I had always hoped to play on a professional team, but it is an amazing feeling to own one. As I look back on some of my accomplishments…I’m [going to]Continue to count my blessings.”
Macklemore, a Grammy Award-winning musician and Seattle native, also joined Lynch’s Kraken ownership group.
“We now have two heroes from our hometown who share our values, and we want to give back to this great place and make hockey a sport that is accessible to everyone.”
Find out more about the new #SeaKraken investors, Macklemore & Marshawn Lynch → https://t.co/BQFmY3PayO pic.twitter.com/vHZxddqSBO
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) April 18, 2022
Wayne Gretzky (Steve Nash) and Dustin Johnson — Las Vegas Desert Dogs
Wayne Gretzky is a huge lacrosse fan? Yes, that’s right. While the Great One may be the most famous player on the Edmonton Oilers’ ice, Gretzky was more of a lax bro.
Gretzky stated, “Box lacrosse is the national sport of Canada.” “I began playing lacrosse at six years old and continued to play until I was sixteen years of age. I love the game because box lacrosse was so important to my success in ice skating.
This is why it’s not surprising that Dustin Johnson (2020 Masters champion), NBA Hall of Famer and current Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash, and Joe Tsai (Nets owner) are part of a star-studded group of owners for the National Lacrosse League’s newest expansion club in Las Vegas, The Desert Dogs.
Wayne Gretzky can do anything…
(? @lasvegaslax, @NLL) pic.twitter.com/7RKvXQ7WfN
— NHL (@NHL) June 21, 2021
Dwyane Wade – Utah Jazz
Dwyane Wade supporting any other team than the Miami Heat is, I won’t lie. It was quite jarring. He is a great businessman, and I don’t think anyone can fault him. In April the three-time NBA champion purchased an ownership stake in the Utah JazzRyan Smith, majority owner and governor of the team, joined D. Wade and expressed his desire to be involved in the franchise. D. Wade fulfilled his promise. He was available to be seen on courtside during the entire season. took action when an unsettling fan incident went down during the postseasonHe became a mentor for Donovan Mitchell, Jazz musician.
Renee Montgomery — Atlanta Dream
Former Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery made history in FebruaryAs part of a group consisting of three investors that approved the purchase. Montgomery is the first ex-player to be both an owner and an executive of a WNBA team. After Kelly Loeffler, a former Republican senator, was pressured to sell her Dream share after she upset WNBA players by her opposition to the league’s racial justice initiatives, the ownership change took place.
Patrick Mahomes — Kansas City Royals
Patrick Mahomes is no stranger in winning. Although the Kansas City Royals cannot say the exact same thing, it is possible that Mahomes’ winning ways could be a source of inspiration for the franchise’s new ownership group. This move affirmed Mahomes’ status of an icon in Kansas City, which was not in doubt. For the Chiefs’ quarterback, Mahomes, it made sense on many levels to be a baseball owner. Mahomes played college baseball and was considered a legitimate pro prospect. His father, Pat Mahomes also spent 11 seasons playing Major League Baseball. He had to figure out a way to make the $503 million contract work for him.
Venus and Serena Williams — Miami Dolphins. Angel City FC
The Williams sisters are a proud family that has won major titles and made history. Venus and Serena were the first Black female minority owners of the NFL in 2009. purchasing a part of the Miami Dolphins. Musicians Jimmy Buffett and Gloria Estefan, Fergie, Marc Anthony also bought sharesThe ownership group of the Dolphins is eclectic. Serena Williams, then, was elected to be the team’s new owner last year. part of the star-studded Angel City FC ownership groupLos Angeles to host a NWSL team in 2022.
Mia Hamm (Abby Wambach) and Julie Foudy — Angel City FC
Angel City FC was a big success. The Los Angeles-based NWSL team had superstar backing before we even knew its name. One of the most prominent was 14 former USWNT players who are part of the groupMia Hamm and Abby Wambach are Julie Foudy. I would have named Lauren Holiday (Shannon Boxx), Rachel Buehler; Joy Fawcett; Tisha Venturini High, Joy Fawcett; Tisha Vatrini Hoch, Angela Hucles and Shannon MacMillan; Saskia Webber, Ronnie Fair Sullins and Lorrie Fair Allen, but I was trying to stick to the “I’m only going for 20 athletes” rule from the intro. We don’t have the time to name all of them.
Michael Jordan — Charlotte Hornets
As we are on the topic of owners who haven’t enjoyed the success we were used to seeing in our playing days, I wouldn’t be remiss if my thoughts didn’t include the GOAT. In 2010, Michael Jordan became the first ex-player to be a majority owner in the leagueThe NBA Board of Governors approved his $275 million offer to purchase the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina. Things are looking up for the Hornets after a decade of disappointing years. Rookie of the year LaMelo ball has provided a much-needed spark to the team. Remember when his dad said he could beat MJ 1-on-1…good times.
Alex Rodriguez — Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx
I’m not sure what part of this purchase feels less perfect to me. Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, his 50-50 business partner, are only pursuing it. acquiring the Minnesota Timberwolves and LynxAfter their original plan to purchase the New York Mets fell through, or because Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards didn’t know who A-Rod was, they decided to make a deal for the Timberwolves. The $1.5 Billion deal is expected to close in July.
Inter Miami — David Beckham
David Beckham, the iconic soccer player and still-to-be-seen football owner. Beckham — who is incredibly hands on with the franchise — is part of an ownership groupOriginally called Miami Beckham United, it now operates under the name Miami Freedom Park LLC. Inter Miami and Beckham seem to have been embroiled in controversy since 2018. All those issues could soon be history if Lionel Messi chooses to move to MLS. There have been some strange things.
LeBron James — Liverpool
After Fenway Sports Group purchased Liverpool in 2010, LeBron James, Maverick Carter and the manager became minority owners. In 2011, James and Carter became minority shareholders of Premier League team Liverpool. James has made a lot of money from the deal. His original stake in Liverpool, valued at $6.5million, had grown to around 80%. $32 million as of 2018.Liverpool won the Premier League in 2019, their first top-flight title in over thirty years.
Kevin Durant — Philadelphia Union
Brooklyn Nets are set to be the new star team in June 2020 Kevin Durant purchased a 5% stake in MLS’ Philadelphia UnionThe company has the option to buy an additional 5% at a future date. Durant had previously been involved in discussions regarding purchasing a part of D.C. United, but they never reached an agreement.
James Harden — Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash
James Harden is no longer in Houston, but his legacy in Houston can still be felt. The Beard purchased a 5% stakeIn the group that will control MLS’ Houston Dynamo as well as NWSL’s Houston Dash, in 2019. The group also includes boxer Oscar De La Hoya. The Dash won the NWSL title last season, so he must feel pretty happy about this investment.
Russell Wilson and Ken Griffey Jr. – Seattle Sounders
What does Russell Wilson, Ken Griffey Jr., and Macklemore share in common? They all are part of the Seattle Sounders ownership group. Wilson and Ciara, his wife, are musicians. purchased a stakeIn the team in 2019 — just in-time to win an MLS Cup championship. Griffey Jr. and his extended family followed Griffey Jr.’s lead in November 2020.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic — Hammaraby
It seems that everything Zlatan does causes people to react strongly. This was true even when he bought a part of Swedish team HammarabyIn 2019, back. Malmo, another Swedish team, where Zlatan began his professional career, was vandalized by fans who placed a seat on top of one of the arms and a toilet chair around it.
Magic Johnson — Los Angeles Dodgers
Big LA guy. Magic Johnson was the Lakers greatest player in 2012 part of a group that bought the Los Angeles DodgersFrank McCourt sold the record-breaking $2 billion. At that time, the price broke the record for a franchise in sports. Magic kept it real when explaining his role as a recruiter of free agents. He stated that while he cannot talk pitching or hitting with players, he “can speak winning.” If the recent history is any guide (in case anyone missed all of 2020), it worked.