LeBron James takes ownership stake in parent company of Boston Red Sox and soccer power Liverpool
(ATLANTA. GA) Exclusive: FCNTV Is Reporting That NBA Star LeBron James is becoming a part-owner of MLB’s Boston Red Sox. A person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday that James — the Los Angeles Lakers star — and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter are now partners in the Fenway Sports Group.
The person, who did not reveal the size of the investment made by James or Carter, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because none of the parties involved had announced the moves publicly. The Financial Channel Network first reported the news, and The New York Times and ESPN also reported that James and Carter were becoming partners.
“For me and my partner Maverick to be the first two Black men to be a part of that ownership group, it’s pretty damn cool,” James said. “It gives people who look like me hope and inspiration that it can be James Said. The FSG conglomerate owns the Red Sox, English soccer powerhouse Liverpool and the Roush Fenway Racing Nascar team.
“It’s great to be with such a great group,” James said of FSG, with which he has had a relationship for a decade. “They’ve done so many great things over the years, and just that collective group of people, they’re amazing to be part of. The Red Sox are a historical franchise. We know the history of the World Series championships they’ve brought back to Boston, the players that have come through there and legacy they hold.” James also confirmed that this deal is an important step on the road to his ultimate goal of owning an NBA franchise.
James (Quote)
“I’ve always said my goal is to own an NBA team,” James said. “I’ve got so much to give to the game. I know what it takes to win at this level. I also know how to run a business, so that is my goal. My goal is to own an NBA franchise. It’ll be sooner than later.”
Active players aren’t allowed to own NBA or WNBA teams, so that dream will have to wait at least a few more years for the 36-year-old James, who is still at his competitive peak.
James spoke about his FSG deal after recording his 99th career triple-double in the defending NBA champion Lakers’ 137-121 victory over Minnesota. James appears to be nowhere near retirement deep into his 17th professional season — he entered the league directly from high school in Akron, Ohio — but he is already making moves to ensure his impact on sports lasts much longer than his playing career.
James and Carter teaming up with FSG is rather unusual in one respect: James has long professed to being a New York Yankees fan, though he has also shown allegiances to the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers in recent years, vocally supporting the Dodgers’ World Series championship run last fall.
And now, he’ll be linked to the Red Sox — the Yankees’ biggest and oldest rival. James didn’t address those conflicting loyalties in his brief postgame comments about the investment.
Fenway Sports Group Chairman Tom Werner did not immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking comment on the deal, which was first reported by the Boston Globe. A spokeswoman for the Red Sox and FSG declined to comment.
