20 Celebrities Who Have All Owned Sports Franchises

After purchasing a small stake in the Miami Dolphins back in 2009, Serena and Venus Williams became the first black women to own an NFL franchise. The boundary-breaking sisters are originally from Michigan, but they moved to Florida as kids to train under the tutelage of top tennis coach Rick Macci. And it definitely paid off!

Rocket man? More like soccer man! Since he became an investor in 1976, Elton John has served in a variety of roles — including as chairman — for his hometown Watford Football Club. Today, he holds the lofty title of “president for life,” and he even has a stand named after him at the club’s home stadium, Vicarage Road.

The price was certainly right for Drew Carey when he purchased a minority share of Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders in 2007. He was in good company, too, as the late Apple founder Paul Allen also had a stake. And under Carey’s part-ownership, the team has found great success. It even brought home the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019.

In west Philadelphia born and raised... well, you know the rest. One of Philly’s most famous sons, Will Smith is a minority owner of his hometown Philadelphia 76ers. “There is nothing, in like all of entertainment, than to walk into the building when it’s announced that you’re a part owner of your hometown basketball team,” Smith told Jimmy Kimmel in 2016. “That is ridiculous.”

For three rockin’ years, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons were two of the owners of the Arena Football League’s Los Angeles Kiss. Simmons promised fireworks, saying that the team aimed to “make it [like] the Super Bowl every game.” Unfortunately, though, KISS fans and football fans proved to be two very different breeds, and LA Kiss folded in 2016.

Already one of the most iconic athletes of all time and the head of a billion-dollar shoe empire, Michael Jordan can also add “team owner” to his resume. Since 2010, Jordan has served as a majority stakeholder of the Charlotte Hornets. He also reportedly said that he could take on any of his players one-on-one — and beat them.

While the 6’3” comedian may seem an ideal fit for the basketball court, Will Ferrell seems to be more interested in soccer. “So many amazing players and so many top-flight leagues,” he said of the sport. “And hopefully MLS can be on par, eventually, with the European leagues.” Since 2016, the legendary funnyman has been part-owner of MLS’ Los Angeles FC.

The AFL’s Philadelphia Soul owes its existence in large part to Jon Bon Jovi, who helped found the franchise in 2004. But while the Soul won its first championship in 2008, the rock star was forced to sell after the AFL went under a year later. The team folded, too, when the AFL shut down operations for good in 2019.

Magic Johnson is a Los Angeles legend, so it’s no surprise that he’s held significant financial interest in a number of local teams. In addition to having been a part-owner of the Lakers, Johnson has also had stakes in the Sparks, LAFC, and the Dodgers. We don’t know where he finds the time to be an activist, too!

Back in 1996, David Letterman’s longtime friend Bobby Rahal approached the star with an opportunity to invest in his racing team. Today, the team is known as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and it competes in Verizon’s IndyCar Series. It’s had two victories in the Indy 500 as well. Bet they made the former chat show host crack a smile!

When David Beckham signed with MLS in 2007, very few people knew that his contract included an option to one day own an expansion team at a discounted rate. Well, we bet more folks know now, as the British soccer supremo is now part-owner of Inter Miami CF. Perhaps he even trains with the players from time to time?

Investing in a sports team is often a gamble, but the one Usher made in 2005 definitely paid off. As a part-owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Usher has collected seven division championships, five conference championships, and an NBA title. LeBron James — who famously played with the Cavs for 11 seasons — probably had something to do with that...

Things have come full circle for NBA legend Yao Ming, as in 2009 he purchased the Shanghai Sharks — the very same team that had given him his start in the basketball world 16 years earlier. More recently, Yao was unanimously elected chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association. Looks like he’s still keeping that Ming Dynasty going!

When he purchased a majority share of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby team in 2006, Russell Crowe was determined to turn the historically bad team into champions. And eventually, he succeeded! Eight years later, the Rabbitohs won its first premiership in over four decades. Crowe could also boast that his team was runner-up in the league in 2021.

What could a hockey icon and comedy legend have in common? Well, in the case of Wayne Gretzky and John Candy, owning a sports team! Along with Bruce McNall, the pair held control of the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts until shortly before Candy’s death in 1994. Labatt Brewing Company then took over in the ’90s.

In the fall of 1999, as the Pittsburgh Penguins teetered on the brink of financial ruin, Mario Lemieux offered to forgive the team’s debt to him in exchange for franchise ownership. And that was a savvy deal for all involved. Since taking over, Lemieux has led the Penguins to an impressive three Stanley Cup victories. Good going, Super Mario!

After a failed bid at becoming a part owner of the Cincinnati Reds, Nick Lachey set his sights a bit lower — on the minor leagues. For a spell, the former 98 Degrees frontman owned one-third of the Seattle Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. He also owns a stake in the ABA team the Hollywood Fame.

This should come as a surprise to no one, as Shaq has become the poster boy for finding new life in retirement. In addition to being a sports analyst, actor, rapper, MMA fighter, and even a police officer, “The Big Aristotle” was also a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings. He held that position until January 2022.

Basketball usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when we think of JT, but the Memphis native is actually a huge fan of his hometown Grizzlies. And, yep, you guessed it: along with his wife Jessica Biel, he owns a minority share of the team. You may even see them in the stands at the next game!

Never one to forget his Brooklyn beginnings, Jay-Z was an integral part of bringing basketball back to the borough in 2012. The rap mogul held a small share in the Brooklyn Nets for ten years, but he eventually ended up selling his stake in the team to Will Pan in order to found his own Roc Nation Sports agency.

But when athletes in celebrity-owned teams retire, not all of them decide to live the high life. Some actually end up in regular jobs! Myron Rolle studied at Florida State’s College of Medicine after finally hanging up his cleats. The former Tennessee Titans safety now works in the field of neuroscience at both Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Even NFL players can use Uber to earn a bit of surplus money. AJ Francis has found it difficult to make the leap from the training field to the active roster as a nose tackle. But rather than sit sulking, the 330-pounder spends his spare time driving others around his home city, making up to $50 an hour in the process.

Back in 1995, Ed Newman made one of the unlikeliest career moves ever by an NFL player. That year, he was appointed a county court judge! The former Miami Dolphin regularly studied at his home state’s main university during his footballing years. And Newman now counts one of his former teammates, Tony Nathan, as his bailiff, too!

Ty Law’s no doubt literally jumped for joy over the success he’s achieved since leaving the NFL. The former defensive back has opened no fewer than 25 of his Launch Trampoline Parks across New England and various other U.S. regions. And apparently he occasionally turns up at the Rhode Island branch to participate in a spot of trampolining dodgeball, too!

Muhsin Muhammad enjoyed no fewer than 14 seasons as an NFL star, most of which came with the Carolina Panthers. And it was also in Charlotte that the wide receiver launched his second career. Muhammad’s the managing director of Axum Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in the Old North State that owns a majority in the franchise known as Wild Wing Café.

Wayne Chrebet enjoyed nearly a dozen seasons as a New York Jet before reinventing himself in the world of finance. The NFL star landed plum jobs with Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley, eventually serving as the assistant vice president at Barclays. Wayne then continued his remarkable rise up the corporate career ladder when he moved to Stifel Financial Corp.

Keith Fitzhugh was forced to give up his football dreams after failing to fulfill his early potential in the NFL. The safety then bagged a train conductor job to make ends meet. And it’s a role that appears to suit Fitzhugh much better. In fact, he’s since been promoted to terminal superintendent at the Atlanta Norfolk Southern Railway.

You may be aware of Bernie Kosar’s money problems since leaving the NFL. He went bankrupt in 2009, having lost almost every cent of the $19 million he’d earned as a professional. Kosar later aligned himself with a grill restaurant at Ohio’s Northfield Park and became a regular on the motivational speaker circuit to claw some of the money back.

Kareem McKenzie wasn’t afraid to get outside assistance during his 11 seasons with the New York Giants and Jets. The two-time Super Bowl winner regularly sought counseling throughout his time in the NFL and is now planning to help a new generation of players deal with their mental health issues. Yes, McKenzie became so interested in the field that he studied for a Ph.D. in professional counseling.

Fred Smerlas undoubtedly has many strings to his bow. After hanging up his football boots, the five-time Pro Bowler founded a Massachusetts-based firm dealing with fundraising efforts for the emergency services. Alongside Steve DeOssie, Smerlas also has a Rhode Island steakhouse. And don’t be surprised to see him become involved in a political campaign in the near future, too.

Bernard Reedy certainly believes in paying it forward. The three-time Tampa Bay Buccaneer has spent much of his downtime from the NFL driving wheelchair users around as a Car Ride employee for as little as $11 an hour. But Bernard feels that his clients give him the impetus to keep plugging away at his footballing dreams.

Maya DiRado became one of Team USA’s biggest stars of the Rio Olympics, thanks to the four medals she won in the pool. Instead of moving into coaching, though, the swimmer then chose to shift into the field of healthcare provider procurement. DiRado first worked as a McKinsey and Co. consultant before landing an associate position at King Philanthropies.

In 2018 Brian Orakpo decided to wave goodbye to the NFL after a full ten seasons. The edge rusher was already prepared for life after sport, having set up a cupcake firm with another former football star, Michael Griffin. Gigi’s Cupcakes has become a big hit with the sweet-toothed public of Austin. And the pair intend on going into business together again in other fields.

Kerri Strug endeared herself to the nation in 1996 when she won Olympic gold in the vault, despite carrying a severe injury to her ankle. The gymnast even had to be lifted to the podium by her coach. After quitting the sporting world, Strug studied social psychology and communications at Stanford. Following a spell as a second-grade teacher, she moved to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, where she works as a grant manager.

After a promising start, Vince Young failed to sustain his early potential and retired from the NFL after just a few seasons. He later returned to the University of Texas to complete his education and was soon appointed by the same establishment’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. Young’s key role today is to help raise funds for youngsters from underprivileged backgrounds.

Vin Baker enjoyed a 13-season stint in the NBA, earning more than $100 million in the process. And yet thanks to a hard-drinking habit, the former basketball star still ended up virtually penniless. To get his life back on track, Baker took on management jobs at both a Massachusetts summer camp and a Connecticut branch of Starbucks.

Darko Milicic reportedly raked in more than $50 million during his decade in the NBA. But he decided against simply sitting on his mountain of cash after retiring from the sport. After a brief attempt to make his name in the world of kickboxing, the Serbian returned to his homeland, where he currently works on an apple farm exporting fruit everywhere from Africa to Dubai.

Shandon Anderson spent a decade in the NBA, steering the Miami Heat to a famous championship win in 2006. Shortly afterward, the basketball star retired from the sport and immersed himself in the world of vegan cuisine. Anderson improved his skills in the kitchen at several culinary schools before opening his own restaurant, Drunk Art, in Atlanta.

Drew Bledsoe had plenty to celebrate during his playing days, having made the Pro Bowl on four occasions during a 14-year career in the NFL. And now he has something to celebrate with. The star opened up a winery in the Washington region of Walla Walla with a long-time pal after quitting the game. Their Doubleback Winery wines have since built up an impressive reputation in the industry, too.

Alongside younger sibling Scott, Rick Steiner formed one of the best tag teams in WWE history. And he’s since gone from sidewalk slams to selling properties. Yes, the man born Robert Rechsteiner currently works in the slightly less physically demanding world of real estate. He also finds the time to serve on the board of his local school.