The sports industry has grown leaps and bounds as a commercial entity in the last few decades. The advent of television, internet and then social media has been pivotal in taking sports on a global scale with growing fandom leading to increased consumption of sports.
As a result, investment has grown in the sport with investors, and among them, well-known, high net worth individuals finding sporting teams as avenues for brand & image building, portfolio diversification and commercial and social viability among other initiatives. These individuals therefore saw the value in what they were putting their money into and through their investment, elevated the profile of their assets.
So today, we will be looking at 10 such celebrity individuals who’ve made successful investments in the sports industry.
10.) James Harden
Considered as one of the best shooters in the NBA’s illustrious history, the 34-year-old was titled NBA MVP in 2018 and was the highest points scorer in the league for three successive seasons between 2018-2020 and was named one of the 75 best players in the league on the league’s 75th anniversary, all when he represented the Houston Rockets.
As a result, Harden developed a special relationship with the city and made it count by taking a minority stake in the city’s two football clubs, Houston Dynamo, who compete in the MLS and the Houston Dash, who participate in the NWSL (consider MLS for women footballers). Harden bought a minority stake in two-time MLS champions Houston Dynamo in 2019.
“Houston is my home now, and I saw this as a way to invest in my city and expand my business interests at the same time. This is my city and I’m here to stay“.
- Harden, after completing the purchase of the two Houston clubs
In 2023, the club won the Western Conference title and the U.S. Open Cup, thereby qualifying for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Latin American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League.
After Harden’s investment in the Dash in 2020, the club finished runners-up in the NWSL Community Shield and won the NWSL Challenge Cup the same year.
9.) Virat Kohli
The swashbuckling Indian cricketer has made a career smashing bowlers out of the park and making successful business decisions off it. It’s what has led to the Indian #18’s net worth surging to a total of ₹ 1,050 crores (US$127 million).
The Delhi man started his sports investment journey after becoming a co-owner of FC Goa ahead of the inaugural ISL season, where he still holds a minority stake. Since the inception of the ISL, Goa have been one of the most well-supported and successful clubs in the ISL, winning the ISL League Shield in 2019-20 and becoming the first team to represent India in the AFC Champions League. They also reached the ISL final in 2018 where they narrowly lost to Bengaluru FC.
Goa also went on to win the Super Cup in 2019 and the Durand Cup in 2021 to add further sheen to their trophy cabinet and their co-owner’s investment portfolio.
Kohli also co-owned the UAE Royals who participated in the now-defunct International Premier Tennis League. The team had an illustrious roster of superstars including record Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Goran Ivanisevic, Caroline Wozniacki and Martina Hingis.
8.) Kevin Durant
One of the most charismatic characters in the NBA, Kevin Durant has carved out a special niche for himself in NBA folklore. The 35-year-old won two NBA Championships, an NBA MVP in 2014 and was the league’s highest points scorer between 2010-2012 and then again in 2014, marking himself as one of the league’s best talents.
Durant’s profile also grew thanks to his quirky attitude and social life. But, Durant is also a savvy investor, putting money into a number of successful businesses to diversify his earnings and investments. He created his sports investment company Thirty Five Ventures, named after the number that Durant sports on his basketball jerseys.
Durant purchased a 5% stake in MLS club Philadelphia Union in 2020 with the option of doubling his stake in the future.
Durant’s purchase couldn’t have come at a better time as the Union lifted the Supporters Shield (given to the team that finishes top of the MLS in the regular season) and therefore made their maiden appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. They were also named Eastern Conference Champions (awarded to the team that finishes highest in the Eastern side of the U.S. in the regular season) in 2020 and 2022.
Durant has also invested in other sports such as pickleball, a racquet sport similar to padel and tennis. In May 2021, the 35-year-old was announced as an investor in Just Women’s Sports, a media company dedicated towards promoting and growing women’s sports.
7.) MS Dhoni
Touted by many to be among the greatest exponents of the sport, Dhoni’s exhilarating feats on a cricket field and his remarkably calm and composed demeanor and ability to thrive under pressure has made him one of the most revered names in the sport of cricket and outside.
Dhoni is also among sportsmen who have put their money in other sports. He invested in the Ranchi Rays that compete in the Hockey India League.
But thanks to his special connection with Chennai, a city that christened him with the nickname of ‘Thala’ (Tamil word for head or leader), thanks to his 15-year-highly successful IPL association with the Chennai Super Kings franchise, Dhoni became a co-owner of Indian Super League club Chennaiyin FC in 2014, along with Vita Dani and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan. It was an investment that reaped rewards for him right from the start. Such investments have helped Dhoni accrue a significant net worth.
The Marina Machans (the club’s nickname) lifted the ISL title in only the second season and went on to add another in 2017 thereby marking themselves as one of the most successful clubs in the league. While Chennaiyin have since regressed, failing to win another trophy, they made the final in the 2019-20 season and made the playoffs in the 2023-24 season marking a resurgence in their fortunes.
6.) Jay-Z
The billionaire rapper is one of the most influential figures of the 21st century with Jay-Z’s impact spanning across music, sports, art, culture and politics.
The veteran rapper started his sports investment journey in 2003 after securing a minority stake in his hometown NBA team Brooklyn Nets. Jay-Z reportedly paid $1 million for his share and remained onboard as a part owner till 2013 when his share’s value diluted to around a third of his initial investment.
By this time, Jay-Z had also set up his sports agency, Roc Nation Sports. Today, Roc Nation Sports counts over a 100 athlete clients including major names across multiple sports. But the agency is also working hard to build the stars of tomorrow.
ROC NATION SPORTS: PROMINENT CLIENTS BASKETBALL FOOTBALL CRICKET Kyrie Irving Vinicius Jr. Lungi Ngidi Lamelo Ball Marcus Rashford Temba Bavuma Danny Green Romelu Lukaku Rudy Gay Kevin de Bruyne Endrick Gabriel Martinelli Federico Dimarco Lucas Paqueta
A key part in RNS’ success is Jay-Z’s fame and his activism for black lives and other human rights which add value to athletes of colour and others sharing ideals for human rights to align themselves with Roc Nation’s vision. The agency was created with an idea to promote talented individuals of colour across industries but has since diversified over the years to include talented clients irrespective of their social setting.
5.) Ranbir Kapoor
The Bollywood heartthrob is among the most sought-after and highest-paid actors in the Indian film industry and once gave a hit when it came to his sports investment choice.
The 41-year-old moved swiftly to win the bidding to purchase Indian Super League club Mumbai City Football Club, along with co-owner Bimal Parekh. Despite getting players like Nicolas Anelka, Diego Forlan and Sunil Chhetri to the club, Mumbai made only one playoff appearance in their first five seasons before things turned around in 2019.
The City Football Group successfully purchased a majority stake of 65% in the club, adding them to their portfolio of clubs that include Manchester City, Girona and Melbourne City FC among others . Ranbir and Parekh equally split the remaining 35% to become minority owners.
Since CFG’s arrival, Mumbai have made the playoffs in all seasons but once and have lifted the League Shield (given to the team that finishes at the top of the group stage at the end of the regular season) and the ISL Cup (won by the team that wins the ISL playoffs) twice each. They are also the first and only team to win the League Shield and the Cup in the same season (2020-21) and became the first and only Indian club to win an AFC Champions League match.
A regular among the top brass of Indian football, Ranbir’s initiative to bring a football team to the maximum city has fetched him maximum rewards. With further investment in the club, the only way for the Islanders (the club’s nickname) and their star owner is up.
4.) Ryan Reynolds/Rob McElhenney
We move into Hollywood territory as we shed the spotlight on Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The duo have long been partners in their cinematic and television based ventures and have also partnered in numerous sporting investments, becoming co-owners in the Alpine F1 Racing Team as well as Liga MX club Club Necaxa. Ryan has also invested in FuboTV, an American streaming service company that offers live sports coverage for customers in North America and Spain.
But the duo’s purchase of Wrexham AFC is their most fabled investment. Reynolds and McElhenney’s bid was chosen unanimously by the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust in 2020, and upon purchasing, the club announced a recurring docuseries named Welcome to Wrexham, which would cover the journey behind-the-scenes of the struggling club and their two actor owners who took the initiative of turning the Welsh’s club’s fate around in their journey to get to a professional division, having stayed put in the National League, England’s fifth tier league.
The entry of the famed duo made Wrexham gain an unprecedented level of international attention. But, performances also improved on the pitch with the Welsh club nearly gaining promotion in 2021-22 before getting promoted a year later to the EFL League Two, meaning Wrexham became a professional league club for the first time in 15 years. What’s more? Wrexham did so by winning the fifth division league title after securing 111 points in the league, the highest by any team in English football’s top five divisions.
The next season was even better as the Red Dragons finished runners-up in the fourth division, this time getting promoted to the third division (EFL League One). Wrexham’s performances along with the fame of their superstar owners has already opened avenues for a global fanbase for a team nowhere near the top divisions. The club also played pre-season friendlies against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea further increasing their brand profile.
The continued upsurge in the team’s form combined with the intertwined fortunes and love for the club of their superstar owners have created a unique story that has awakened a sleepy Welsh town to global attention.
3.) LeBron James
Considered among the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James continues to stay on top of the NBA thanks to his incredible consistency and work ethic. They are qualities that are not just restricted to the basketball court but also to the many brilliant investments that the 39-year-old continues to make.
LeBron, along with his business partner Rich Paul, has created a great stable of investments that make him an integral part of the value chain.
One important part of those investments are stakes in sports teams and sporting assets. Arguably his most rewarding investment is his minority stake in Fenway Sports Group, the Boston-based investment company that manages the highly successful Boston Red Sox (the third most successful team in Major League Baseball history) baseball team and Liverpool Football Club, the most successful club in English sport.
The 4-time NBA Champion and MVP is also a part owner in the five-time NHL (National Hockey League) winners Pittsburgh Penguins, and in 2022, James purchased a minority stake in A.C Milan along with renowned rapper Drake, thanks to his association with RedBird Capital Management, the owners of the Italian football club.
James also expressed his interest in owning an NBA team upon retirement, stating Las Vegas as his preferred destination. With James going strong at 39 and continuing to earn the big bucks, you wouldn’t put it past him to come good on that desire as well, going strong from his prior experience of investing in successful sports teams.
2.) Shahrukh Khan
The King of Bollywood as he’s affectionately called, Shahrukh Khan has established himself among the crème-de-la-crème of Indian cinema. In a glittering career spanning over two decades, Shahrukh (or SRK for short) has entertained generations of fans with his movies of yesteryear still fresh in the minds of his scores of doting fans.
His quality on the screen has made him the highest paid actor in the cash-rich Bollywood industry and the 58-year-old has been busy with his big bucks, investing in many assets including sports teams. The veteran actor started his sports investment in 2008 by becoming the co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in the Indian Premier League.
Shahrukh brought the glitz and glamour to the IPL despite his franchise enduring a tough start to life in the IPL. But the tough years gave way to a period of success as the Purple & Gold outfit won two IPL titles in three years between 2012 and 2014 before adding a third a decade later. As a result, Kolkata are the third-most successful team in the IPL.
But Shahrukh and his fellow owners saw the bigger picture and started their own multi-team venture giving birth to the Knight Riders Group. The group’s first investment was in 2015 when they bought the Caribbean Premier League team, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel and rebranded them as the Trinbago Knight Riders.
The move worked wonders as the Knight Riders have since won four CPL titles and have made the playoffs in all but one season. Seeing the success of their multi-team venture, the Knight Riders became an example to other teams who have since invested in sister franchises across the globe in a bid to retain talent and expand their brand globally.
The Knight Riders Group also have teams in the UAE-based International League T20 (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) and the recently started Major League Cricket (Los Angeles Knight Riders), the marquee T20 league in the United States. Go back to 2008 and it was all the seed laid down by King Khan that he has now built into a successful cricketing empire spanning the entire globe.
1.) David Beckham
The suave-looking Englishman has always been remarked for having an eye for a savvy deal, be it during his playing career or after. David’s good looks, the public craze and his marketability made him a media magnet and allowed him to quickly build himself into a modern commercial juggernaut. Not to forget his union with Victoria Beckham, who was a part of the popular British pop band, Spice Girls.
But David was also smart with his business choices, negotiating a deal to buy an MLS expansion franchise when he joined the LA Galaxy in 2007. That dream became a reality in 2014 when he exercised his option to give birth to Inter Miami. The start though was riddled with issues regarding the stadium and personnel. After four years of fight and turmoil, the club was finally formally announced in 2018 and started playing two years later.
The tough start off the pitch then became one on it as Miami struggled for form in the league even finishing at the bottom of the standings in their first season. But little did people know that Beckham and his associates would be working painstakingly behind the scenes to pull off one of the greatest purchases in sports history that finally came to fruition in 2023.
After weeks and months of negotiation, Inter Miami landed eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Lionel Messi to signal a power shift in the dynamics of not just the MLS but sports in the United States. Messi’s arrival sent the sporting world into fervour with the frenzy catching up from ticket sales to sales of Messi’s Inter Miami shirts reaching the stratosphere an even having a full-time personal bodyguard follow Messi everywhere to keep him away from delirious fans doing anything to get a moment under the sun with the footballing legend. The frenzy has not stopped even after a year into Messi’s stay in the Southeast coast.
Beckham’s reputation as a footballer and as a brand magnate was key in convincing Messi to sign up for a struggling team and his time in Miami, irrespective of how results go, will always be an asterisk moment in Beckham’s investment career.
But Beckham’s sole interests lies not only in Miami but also in Salford City, based 2.5 miles away from Manchester, where David spent the majority of his career, representing his beloved Manchester United. The former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder joined his Class of ‘92 (a team given to the famous youth team of 1992 consisting of Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs who went on to play a major part of United’s success in the following decades) teammates to purchase a 10% stake and becoming a director at the club.
