Los Angeles Football Club – Will Ferrell
Comedian and actor Will Ferrell has starred in many movies about sports over the years, including Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory. However, rather than ice skating or racing, his actual real-life interest was piqued by soccer. When Major League Soccer announced a new Los Angeles team was being created, Ferrell bought shares immediately, making him a part owner of LAFC before players were even picked.
Texas Rangers – George W. Bush
George W. Bush’s involvement in sports wasn’t a post-presidency hobby, rather, he bought his shares in the Texas Rangers baseball team way back in 1989. Bush spent $500,000 to buy up nearly 12% of the team’s shares, an initial investment that netted him $15 million when he sold his take in 1998. Bush had to sell his shares in order to become governor of Texas.
Baltimore Orioles – Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy was a highly successful novelist who sold over 100 million copies of his books over the course of his lifetime. Some of this substantial wealth was spent on his passion for baseball, specifically on his home team the Baltimore Orioles. Clancy originally purchased a whopping 24% share of the team in 1993, but died with half of that, as the other 12% went to his ex-wife.
Memphis Grizzlies – Justin Timberlake
In 2014, Twitter patrons accused Justin Timberlake of being a fake or bandwagon Memphis Grizzlies fan after he tweeted out his support of the team. In response, Timberlake revealed that he was actually a part-owner of the team, sharing his 2.8% shares with his wife, actress Jessica Biel. Timberlake is a Memphis native, so it makes sense that the Grizzlies are his team of choice.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez is a former professional baseball player known for signing the most expensive professional contract in baseball history at the time. Since Rodriguez’s retirement, he has invested prolifically in companies like Snapchat and Wheels Up, and he even attempted to buy the New York Mets. Eventually though, he settled for being a 20% owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Bing Crosby
Legendary crooner Bing Crosby began his career in California and spent much of his life in New York. Despite that, he opted to buy a sports team that had nothing to do with his upbringing or adult roots, purchasing a 15% share of the Pittsburgh Pirates way back in 1946, which he eventually increased to 25%. After Crosby’s purchase, the team won two World Series championships.
Chicago Sky – Michelle Williams
Very few people would have bet on Michelle Williams becoming the first member of Destiny’s Child to own a sports team. However, Williams wasted no time, becoming a minority owner in her hometown basketball team Chicago Sky in 2006. She was not alone either, as Beyonce’s father Mathew Knowles became a part-owner of the team on the same day.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Usher
Given that he was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, it might seem strange that Usher is the owner of a professional basketball team based in Ohio. Nevertheless, Usher has an ownership stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers (a small part, granted – about 1%), a basketball team that used to be led by LeBron James. Buying the shares was a wise financial decision, as the team is now worth around $1.5 billion.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – David Letterman
TV host and comedian David Letterman grew up in Indiana, home of the Indy500, so it’s no surprise that he’s got the racing bug. This obsession led to him buying shares in the Team Rahal racing team, which competes in both the SportsCar Championship and the IndyCar Series. Letterman’s purchase was commemorated by the team being renamed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and they have since won the Indy500 twice.
Creator – Bobby Flay
Celebrity Chef and television host Bobby Flay isn’t only passionate about food, he’s also passionate about horse racing and thoroughbred horses. Flay has owned many winning horses, most famously More Than Real, who won the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. He also owns a minority stake in Creator, a legendary horse who won $800,000 at the Belmont Stakes.
