Celebrities love to invest money in the finest things but they are also always on the lookout for lucrative deals that can get them big returns. When they are not busy creating the next blockbuster or working on chart-topping songs, most celebrities love to kick back and relax, while watching their favorite sports teams at the stadiums.
Naturally, celebrities go for the best seats in the house when they go to catch the big game. Besides spectating, most often have a stake in pro sports teams that are making waves. Let’s countdown some of the celebrities who you may not have known are also sports franchise owners.
Jimmy Buffett – Miami Dolphins
Musician Jimmy Buffet is recognized for his country and pop hits, but in 2009, he also cemented his investments with a brief partnership, in association with the Miami Dolphins. Buffet decided that being a mere football fan wasn’t enough and through Landshark Lager, his Jacksonville-based company, he collaborated with the team for eight months.
The only irony in it all is the fact that Buffet is also a fan of the New Orleans Saints. Understandably, his partnership with the Miami Dolphins was a great business move. They named the arena, Landshark Stadium, for the duration and the partnership helped launch brand awareness for his business.
Justin Timberlake – Memphis Grizzlies
In addition to being an award-winning musician, Justin Timberlake also has a share in the Memphis Grizzlies, as a minority owner. He even made a courtside debut to watch the team in its element, playing a game against the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2012.
Timberlake took his wife, Jessica Biel, along with him and he wore the signature Memphis hat in support of his team. As if that weren't enough, at the end of the first quarter, he stood up and danced along to the team’s cheer squad, the Grannies and Grandpas.
Will Ferrell – Los Angeles FC
Comedic actor Will Ferrell has cracked us up with his performances in films such as The Other Guys. Ferrell is also a huge sports fanatic, having been an avid soccer lover his entire life. Hence, he has co-owned Los Angeles FC. Ferrell joined other legendary names like Mia Hamm and Magic Johnson, who also have stakes in the team.
He finalized the lucrative deal back in 2016, alongside a total of 26 people who own the MLS expansion team. Ferrell even joked that he’s pretty good at playing soccer, as long as he doesn’t have to run around a lot.
Usher – Cleveland Cavaliers
Usher commanded the airwaves and our screens back in the 90s with his endless list of hits from his eponymous debut album. Turns out he is also a businessman and has invested in profitable ventures. Usher is part-owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, alongside other investors including Dan Gilbert.
They bought the team back in 2005 for a whopping $375 million and the gamble surely paid off because the Cavaliers are now worth upwards of a billion dollars! Usher’s assigned role was to improve the entertainment at the arena and events related to the team.
Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons – Los Angeles KISS
Over the years, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have thrilled rock fans as co-lead vocalists of the band Kiss. The group knows where to put their money and they have sold just about everything, from band merchandise to branded coffins, dubbed, Kiss Kasket.
Therefore, it's no surprise they didn’t pass on the opportunity to buy the arena football team, aptly called, Los Angeles Kiss. They collaborated on this effort with Doc McGhee, their band manager, from 2013 to 2016. Unfortunately, the team didn’t last past 2016, dying a natural death like many Arena Football League teams.
Jay-Z – Brooklyn Nets
Jay-Z isn’t only a Hip-Hop mogul but he’s known for his business ventures including the Rocawear brand. As a New York native, he decided to invest in his home squad back in 2004, purchasing a stake in the Brooklyn Nets, reportedly, for $4.5 million.
He may have been one of the team’s minority shareholders but he had a great impact in cementing their roots in Brooklyn’s Barclay Center from New Jersey. In 2013, Jay-Z sold his share in the Nets, choosing instead, to start up an agency representing basketball players.
Fergie – Miami Dolphins
We became acquainted with Fergie from her time with The Black Eyed Peas and she went on to launch a successful solo singing career. She’s an entrepreneur and in 2010, she launched a fragrance in collaboration with Avon called Outspoken. Fergie also partly owns the Miami Dolphins.
She made her stake in the team back in 2009, joining a roster of celebrity investors including Jimmy Buffet, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony, and also, tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams. Fergie grew up in California, so you may be wondering why she didn't invest in a West Coast team but perhaps she was swayed by the Dolphin's extreme success.
Elton John – Watford FC
Sir Elton John gave us an endless list of classic hits over the years and he’s also a philanthropic figure, giving back through his eponymous foundation towards AIDS-related causes. John is also a huge soccer fan and purchased his favorite team, Watford FC, in 1976.
John operated as the director/chairman of the team, until 1987, when he decided to sell the club. He couldn’t part with the team for too long and proceeded to repurchase it in 1997 before stepping down yet again in 2002. John remains an honorary president of the team.
Jon Bon Jovi – Philadelphia Soul
Jon Bon Jovi is an award-winning artist, best known as the frontman of his self-titled rock band. In 2004, he founded the AFL team dubbed, Philadelphia Soul, and he appeared in numerous TV commercials, marketing the league. The team enjoyed three consecutive playoffs, as well as, a championship win in 2008 before disbanding.
Philadelphia Soul returned on the scene in 2011 and former quarterback, Ron Jaworski, assumed its management. In 2014, Bon Jovi joined a group of investors who acquired the Buffalo Bills but they soon sold the team to American multi-billionaire Terrence Pegula.
Ted Turner – Atlanta Braves
Media mogul Ted Turner is the founder of the well-known TV station, Cable News Network (CNN), as well as, the subscription channel TBS. He’s worth a reported $2.2 billion and he extends much of his wealth to charity, having supported the United Nation with a $1 billion donation.
Turner also purchased the Atlanta Braves and transformed the baseball team into a popular franchise. He bought the MLB team in 1976 and his ownership of the entity ended 20 years later, in 1996. Turner witnessed the team claim the World Series win in 1995.
Bill Murray – St. Paul Saints
Bill Murray appeared in a series of comedic hits like Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. Murray is also known for his simplicity as he doesn’t live the outlandish lifestyle most stars are known for. He enjoys activities like going to watch a good baseball game and he is a staunch supporter of his hometown team, the Chicago Cubs.
Murray partly owns several MLB teams including the Charleston Riverdogs, Brockton Rox, Fort Myers Miracle, and the Catskill Cougars. His ownership of the St. Paul Saints is most notable because of the promotions he has spearheaded on behalf of the team.
Drew Carey – Seattle Sounders
Funnyman Drew Carey gained stardom by starring in his own self-titled sitcom followed by his hosting job on the game show, The Price Is Right. Carey is a Cleveland native but when it came to supporting a sports team, for some reason, he skipped his hometown.
Carey went for the Seattle Sounders, and so far, his decision has paid off. The MLS team has been clinching victories, causing their investors to smile with pride. Carey even got to hoist the cup because his team won penalty shots against Toronto FC in 2016.
Nick Lachey – Tacoma Rainiers
Nick Lachey gained fame as the lead singer of the '90s boy band, 98 Degrees, followed by his solo career. Before his divorce from ex-wife, Jessica Simpson, they appeared on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, showcasing their life. Somewhere along the way, Lachey decided to invest in sports.
Lachey is a big fan of the Cincinnati Bearcats, Reds, and Bengals but alongside other investors, Lachey bought a share in the Tacoma Rainers back in 2007; the team won the 2010 Pacific Coast League Championship. In 2009, Lachey made the first ceremonial pitch during the MLB Opening Day in Cincinnati.
David Letterman – Rahal Letterman Lanigan IndyCar Racing
TV host David Letterman is best known for hosting his eponymous late-night show on NBC. He teamed up with former racer Bobby Rahal and entrepreneur Mike Lanigan to create the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team. The team was formed in 1992.
Letterman has always had a love for automobiles and he started collecting model cars as a kid. It only made sense that he would try his luck at co-owning a racing team and so far, it's all working in his favor. Racecar driver, Buddy Rice, secured victory for the team at the Indianapolis 500 in 2004.
Russell Crowe – South Sydney Rabbitohs
Actor and producer, Russell Crowe, has appeared in a plethora of box-office hits including Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. While Crowe made a name for himself in America, and the world in general, he’s originally from New Zealand and grew up in Australia.
Crowe is very, very enthused about rugby. This has been the case ever since he was a child and that’s why he decided to invest in the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2006. Alongside his former business partner, Peter Holmes à Court, he managed to secure international player signings for the National Rugby League team.
Gloria Estefan – Miami Dolphins
Contralto singer Gloria Estefan rose to fame after releasing her first single, Conga, in 1985. She went on to release hit after hit and won three Grammy Awards. Estefan, a Cuban national, grew up in Miami which is where she decided to extend her business ventures.
In 2009, Estefan and her husband Emilio became minority owners of the Miami Dolphins alongside many other celebrities who decided to buy into the profitable team. This move made her the very first Hispanic person to have such a stake in an NFL team.
Venus & Serena Williams – Miami Dolphins
There are probably only a few people on the globe who haven’t heard of tennis superstars Venus Williams and her sister Serena. The dynamic duo has set records in the world of tennis but it seems they also wanted to extend the same to football.
Venus and Serena purchased a stake in the Miami Dolphins back in 2009. The team pushed to include celebrities as part of their leadership as a way to raise brand awareness. The sisters jumped at the opportunity and it didn’t hurt that the team’s stadium is located just an hour away from their deluxe houses in Miami.
Nelly – Charlotte Hornets
Renowned rapper, Nelly, commanded the airwaves in the 2000s and he also diversified his business endeavors with numerous endorsement deals. In 2003, he partnered with Nike to release Air Derrty, a limited-edition sneaker collection. He also partnered with Ford Motor Company and launched his own energy drink.
Adding to his lucrative enterprises, Nelly bought shares in the Charlotte Hornets along with former NBA star Michael Jordan and media magnate Robert L. Johnson. He gave up his ownership of the team in 2010, leaving Jordan as the principal owner of the Hornets.
David Beckham — Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami
David Beckham enjoyed a 20-year-long career as a professional footballer and he boasts of being the very first English player with league wins from four countries. He retired in 2013 but that didn’t mean he left his football days behind. Beckham bought a stake in Inter Miami CF also known as Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami.
The team has a star-studded list of celebrity owners on its roster including Simon Fuller who created American Idol. Inter Miami CF received approvals in 2018 to set up their personal stadium that will also include a shopping area, as well as, public sports grounds.
Mark Cuban – Dallas Mavericks
Venture capitalist Mark Cuban is one of the business tycoons who appear on Shark Tank. Cuban is also the owner of the Dallas Mavericks; he invested in the NBA team back in 2000. Back then, the team wasn't known for any winning streaks or victories, rather, it has a long record of losses.
As a result, to many, it didn't make sense for Cuban to invest in the Mavericks, but he soon made them swallow their words as the team won the NBA Championship in 2011, proving that Cuban knew what he was doing. He saw their potential from the very beginning.
Michelle Williams – Chicago Sky
Singer and actress Michelle Williams gained fame as one of the members of the popular R&B group, Destiny’s Child, alongside Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé. Just like her bandmates, Williams pursued a solo career after the group disbanded. She also secured a stake in Chicago Sky, a WNBA team, back in 2006, when the team was formed.
She has a minority stake in the team alongside her former bandmate Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles. Michelle and Matthew share the ownership of the team with businessman Michael J. Alter and businesswoman Margaret Stender.
Magic Johnson – Los Angeles Dodgers & Los Angeles Sparks
Retired basketball professional, Magic Johnson, achieved immense success throughout his career with the league. Johnson also famously announced his HIV diagnosis after briefly retiring from the sport. He made a comeback and even earned the All-Star MVP title in 1992.
In 2012, Johnson extended his passion for basketball by investing in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Along with the team’s roster of minority owners, including Shia LeBeouf, Tiger Woods, and Alyssa Milano, he’s known to sign autographs during games, sitting at a field box. Johson also purchased a stake in the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014.
Michael Jordan – Charlotte Hornets
Former basketball champion Michael Jordan, is known for the legacy he created as a defensive player and also for his slam dunk displays. It earned him the nickname 'Air Jordan', which was the name adopted for the sneakers he endorsed in partnership with Nike.
Jordan has principal ownership of the NBA team, Charlotte Hornets, formerly the Bobcats. He had minority ownership of the team alongside rapper Nelly and media mogul Robert L. Johnson, until 2010, when he went for the majority stake. The purchase made Jordan the first league player to own a majority stake in a team.
Burt Reynolds - Tampa Bay Bandits
Burt Reynolds went down in history as one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, earning the votes for top box-office star in the world, five years in a row, during the late 70s. Reynolds, sadly, passed away in 2018 from a heart attack while at the Jupiter Medical Center.
Reynolds also loved American football and in 1982, he invested in the United States Football League team, the Tampa Bay Bandits. His ownership of the team lasted until 1986 when the team and the USFL folded. Reynolds and film stuntman, Hal Needham, also co-owned a NASCAR team, with driver Harry Grant racing the team’s Skoal Bandit vehicle.
Paul Newman - Newman/Haas Racing
Paul Newman served as an entertainer on the big screen, as well as, on the tracks. Newman was a race driver and he won quite a number of national championships for road racing, and also, open-wheel racing under the IndyCar series.
He owned the IndyCar team, Newman/Haas Racing, which he formed in partnership with racer Carl Haas in 1983. Newman also co-founded the food company, Newman’s Own, with the sole purpose of donating all their proceeds to charity. As of November 2018, the donations provided by the company have totaled in excess of $535 million.
Gene Autry - Los Angeles Angels
The Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry, gained fame back in the 30s for his rodeo performances, as well as, work on the big screen, radio, and TV. Autry also owned several radio stations, a Southern California TV station and an MLB team, between 1961 and 1997.
Autry owned the Los Angeles Angels, a purchase he made after going for the exclusive rights to broadcast the team's games on the radio. It was actually MLB executives who pursued Autry, offering him the majority stake in the team that went on to be known as, the Anaheim Angels, California Angels, and once again, the Los Angeles Angels.
Mario Lemieux - Pittsburgh Penguins
Former Canadian ice hockey professional, Mario Lemieux, played for the Pittsburgh Penguins during his 17-year career with the National Hockey League. He then claimed ownership of the team in 1999 when the Penguins were on the brink of bankruptcy.
The team had a history of financial troubles and had previously declared its bankruptcy after its 1974-75 season. After Lemieux assumed ownership of the Penguins, they went on to win three Stanley Cups. That made Lemieux the only player in the history of the league to hoist the cup both as a player and team owner.
Bill Maher – New York Mets
Bill Maher wears several hats as a comedic personality, TV host, and political commentator, best known for hosting Real-Time with Bill, as well as, Politically Incorrect. His satirical commentary and sarcastic attitude on political issues led to him become a well-known comedic commentator across the globe.
Maher decided to invest funds into the New York Mets back in 2012. Some would say he made the wrong choice because the MLB team hasn’t had a great track record on the field. However, things seemed to turn around for the Mets in 2018, as they have begun to improve.
Marc Anthony & Jennifer Lopez – Miami Dolphins
Musicians Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez were a force to be reckoned with when they were a couple. The two have numerous chart-topping hits between them and an equally long list of award wins. Unfortunately, they filed divorce papers, bringing their union to an end in 2014.
However, before their split, they too invested in the Miami Dolphins, in 2009. When announcing that they had bought into the NFL team, the Dolphins gave them their personal team jerseys. Lopez got one with the number 24, in reference to her birth date while Anthony got one with the number 16 on it.
Will & Jada Pinkett-Smith – Philadelphia 76ers
Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith need no introduction because they have been one of Hollywood's power couples since the 90s. We know Will from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show was filmed in his home town in Philadelphia. Will attended Overbrook High School, and so, he invested in the town he grew up in.
Will and Jada secured a minority ownership in the highly esteemed NBA team, Philadelphia 76ers, in 2011. The two lovers have always been fond of and supported basketball and they even attend numerous games with the best seats, cheering on their team.