Celebrities are always looking for creative ways to spend their cold hard cash. And for those who are sports fanatics, this is often a pretty easy choice. Find out which celebs put their money on their favorite sports teams.
While David Beckham is most famous for playing on the field himself, he’s also one of the sportsmen who’s taken part in ownership. Despite investing in various entrepreneurial activities, from clothing to fragrances and other sponsorships, he understandably felt the need to give back to his own sport.
This late-night talk show host may have made his fame and fortune through entertaining both celebrities and audiences, but he has also spent a great deal of his career pursuing other passions. These include music, producing film and documentaries, and a lifelong love of cars and car racing.
It’s this passion that puts him on our list. In 1996, Letterman became co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, an auto racing team that has competed in the IndyCar Series and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He shares ownership with long-time friend and Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and businessman Mike Lanigan.
Nelly-Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
Rapper and songwriter Nelly is known for his entrepreneurial pursuits. He founded a music production school in the past, so it may not be a surprise to hear that he’s now a sports team owner. He also released a celebrity fitness DVD and owns two clothing lines. Pretty busy guy!
In 2004, Nelly became a co-owner of the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets, which were known as the Bobcats at the time and named after prestigious American entrepreneur Robert L. Johnson, who was the primary owner for many years. Yet he was bought out of his shares by NBA legend Michael Jordan in 2010.
Drew Carey – Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Drew Carey was one of America’s most-watched comedians in the 90s and early 2000s, with hit shows like The Drew Carey Show other Whose Line Is It Anyway?. People don’t typically make any connections between comedians and pro sports, so it may be a shock to know that this funnyman is a huge soccer fan.
Though he stays out of the limelight these days, Bill Murray is a mythic figure in Hollywood. He’s known as much for his classic film and television roles as he is for his whacky public antics over the years. But one thing he isn’t as known for is his enthusiasm for sports.
Murray is a fan of both basketball and baseball, though it’s the latter that has attracted his business interests. He is a co-owner of the St. Paul Saints of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, as well as the MLB Minor League squads the Charleston RiverDogs and Hudson Valley Renegades. Touching all the bases!
Celebrity couples are known for their lavish displays of affection, though they normally come in the form of flashy jewelry and prime real estate. But when it comes to iconic pop divas like J-Lo, it just seems appropriate that she and her ex-hubby Marc Anthony chose something a little different.
In 2008, the glamorous couple became shared minority owners of the NFL team the Miami Dolphins. They were even gifted with their own Dolphins jerseys, each with a number representing their birthdays. Though they have since divorced, Anthony remains a partner, with the former couple’s shares being transferred to him.
Jon Bon Jovi – Philly Soul (AFL)
Best known as the frontman for the Grammy Award-winning band Bon Jovi, the “It’s My Life” singer has certainly taken his life into his own hands. Not content to simply be a famous musician, Jon Bon Jovi has also been closely involved in the world of professional sports.
Beyond simply holding shares in a pre-existing team, Bon Jovi helped to found the Arena Football League (AFL) team the Philadelphia Soul in 2004, establishing himself as a majority co-owner along with Craig Spencer. Sadly in 2010, he would have to diminish his shares in the team due to prolonged difficulties with his band’s tour schedule.
DJing and sports may seem like two very different areas of interest, but try telling that to Steve Aoki. The famed electronic DJ/producer clearly wasn’t satisfied keeping his career relegated to the stage and his passion for gaming has led him to some serious investments in the industry.
In 2016 the international DJ decided to invest in the eSports company Rogue, which owns multiple teams that compete in League Of Legends other over watch championships. Reps for the company said, “We couldn’t be happier that we met Steve when we did. His genuine passion for the eSports scene was exactly what we were looking for.”
Gloria Estefan may have spent the 80s and 90s belting out pop ballads for her adoring fans, but behind the scenes, she was working on some surprising business ventures. The Cuban-American songstress and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, decided to invest in some local teams.
Both hailing from Miami, where they spent their formative years, the power couple decided to show their home team some support, buying minority stakes in the Miami Dolphins in 2009. While they aren’t major shareholders, this is noteworthy as they were the first Hispanic-Americans to buy a stake in an NFL team.
Though his career is tied up in American cinema, actor Russell Crowe has spent most of his life in Australia. So it’s not too surprising that he is a life-long fan of rugby, one of the country’s most beloved sports. While he also has a love of cricket, soccer and football, the rugby league is his greatest athletic love.
And this certainly shows in his business ventures! Crowe is a majority owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, his favorite team since childhood. He is well-known for promoting the team internationally, and in 2006 even arranged for the team to be sponsored by his film Cinderella Man.
