Why NBA Stars Are Buying Soccer Teams

[00:00:00]NBA stars didn't wait for the World Cup to hit the US. They bought into soccer years ago, and here's how they made their moves. In 2011, LeBron James paid six and a half million for a slice of Liverpool FC. That stake is now worth 130 million bucks. In 2021, he traded his Liverpool shares for a piece of the entire Fenway Sports Group. The Red Sox, the Penguins, the whole empire. In 2023, Russell Westbrook bought into English Premier League side Leeds United through the San Francisco 49ers investment group alongside golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. So, an NBA legend buying into English soccer via an NFL group alongside some golf icons. Leeds had just been relegated, so these guys bought the dip. Elsewhere, in the same year, as we know, Giannis grew up in Greece loving soccer, so he doubled down on that passion and bought into Nashville SC as well as Chelsea. Well, then, so guys, let me ask you, which one of them made the smartest move? Make sure you follow Essentially Sports for more soccer stories.