15 Athletes Who Own Sports Teams
These athletes shoot, score, AND own their own sports teams. Is there anything these powerhouse athletes can't do? Several famous NBA players, boxers, and football stars own sports teams. Some of these athletes own teams in the leagues in which they played, while others own teams from different sports. One baseball player is also the president of the team he owns.
Who is the most famous person who owns a sports team? LeBron James tops our list. In 2011, LeBron James invested in Fenway Sports Group to become a partial owner of Liverpool FC. He also expressed interest in joining forces with David Beckham to bring an MLS team to Miami. "David has become a good friend of mine over the last few years, and I think it would be great for this city to have a football club for sure," James said in a 2014 interview. "There's interest on both sides. It's preliminary talks but there is some open dialogue."
In 2010, Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg partnered to purchase the Texas Rangers. Ryan is also the president of the organization. Oscar de la Hoya owns a portion of the Houston Dynamos. He also owns a national boxing promotional firm. After retiring from football, Warrick Dunn purchased a minority stake in his former team the Atlanta Falcons.
Do you think that it is difficult to transition from the role of player to owner? Share your thoughts in the comments section.Age: 35
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
see more on LeBron JamesAge: 56
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Teams: Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Washington Wizards, North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, + more
see more on Michael JordanAge: 47
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, + more
see more on Shaquille O'NealAge: 58
Nationality: Canada, United States of America
Birthplace: Brantford, Canada
Teams: Edmonton Oilers
see more on Wayne Gretzky