Sports have become more about than just competition. It is increasingly becoming a billion-dollar business too. Sports franchises are on the rise and involve athletes in ownership or investments. Some of these franchises are wholly owned by the players while others hold athletes in partial or minority ownership. Investing in or owning a major sport franchise from minority shares to majority control, both current and former athletes are playing a role in the ownership and strategic decisions with respect to sport clubs around the world.
Sports franchises are also often owned or part-owned by players and public figures, including Wrexham A.F.C. (owned by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds), Angel City FC (part-owned by Serena Williams), and the Miami Dolphins (co-owned by Serena and Venus Williams).
Ownership by athletes in these sports franchises brings both passion and performance of the athlete to the franchise they decide to invest in.
In this article, we will share some of the sports franchises that are owned either wholly or in part by players globally.
Minnesota Timberwolves/Minnesota Lynx
Valuation: Between 230-240 Million USD.
This is one of the strongest examples of a formal player owning a major franchise. This is one of the high profile athlete ownership by the former MLB Superstar.
Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore became co-owners of the Timberwolves (NBA) and Lynx(WNBA) in 2025. The duo has begun to acquire the ownership of the franchise in phrases that started from 2021 and in 2025, they finalized their controlling stake in Minnesota Timberwolves/Minnesota Lynx.
Kansas City (NWSL)
Valuation: Current valuation is USD 275 Million.
It is co-owned by Brittany Mahomes and is a women’s soccer team. It has surged to a remarkable million dollar valuation a which is a staggering increase of 266% which making it one of the most valuable teams in the National Women’s Soccer League.
This sports franchise is at the heart of a new era in women’s sports. Brittany Mahomes is herself, a former soccer player and has played an important role in shaping the vision of the franchise since its rebirth in 2020. She is the spouse of NFL Star Patrick Mahomes who is the Kansas City Current. She has rerbanded since its relaunch in 2020 which reflects the growing viewership, sponsorship deals and increase in investment in women’s sports.
FC Goa (Indian Super League)
Valuation: Estimated to be between 40-50 Million USD.
Part ownership of FC Goa includes the name of Virat Kohli, former international cricketer amongst others. FC Goa is one of the most followed football clubs and is a part of the Indian Super League (ISL). Virat Kohli’s involvement has added significant star power to the franchise along with credibility. By investing in the franchise, Virat has helped to bridge the gap between cricket and footbal in what is otherwise a cricket dominated marketplace.
Though this franchise does not match the the valuation of NBA or other premier League teams in their billion-dollar values, its value is still crucial in the Indian sports landscape. It is one of the most notable sport-owned franchises in Asia.
Angel City FC (NWSL)
Valuation: 250-300 Million USD
Angel City FC in Los-Angeles has quite a unique ownership model. Though not a solely athlete-owned franchise, it includes a number of former and current athletes.
Most notably, Serela Williams, along with an association that includes former soccer stars amongst others, also holds a minority stake in it. Some of the names include Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm.
Future of Athlete-Ownership in Franchises
Athlete-Ownership in Sports Franchises is surely shaping the sports industry globally. Franchise spanning from cricket, soccer, basketball with athletes owning part of full control of them show that players are no longer just there for participating in the field but are also gearing up to call the shots and make major decisions behind the scenes. Sports is continuously globalizing and the influence that athletes can have on these franchises is something to keep an on for. The former athletes bring with them experience, leadership and long-term vision to the table, whereas the traditional investors bring on financial returns primarily. Celebrities are also in the list of owners of franchises, whether in part or otherwise, which brings the attention of the global audience on these sports franchises.
ALSO READ: Neeraj Chopra Falls Short In World Athletics Championships Day 6
