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You can never predict JuJu Watkins’ next move. The University of Southern California (USC) basketball player is now an investor in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Boston Legacy Football Club (Boston Legacy FC), according to a press release. Watkins makes history in the process as the first college athlete to invest in a women’s professional sports team. She joins a group of investors that includes Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, actress Elizabeth Banks, Celtics General Manager Brad Stevens, WNBA player Aliyah Boston, and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Sportico reports the city of Boston was awarded a National Women’s Soccer League team in 2023, and the team will begin competing in 2026. “Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level, and I’m proud to be part of the movement pushing women’s sports forward,” Watkins said in a press release. Jennifer Epstein, controlling owner of Boston Legacy FC, commented:...
Jimmy Butler’s business portfolio is warming up. The Golden State Warriors player joined an investor group and is officially a minority investor in the National Women’s Soccer League’s San Diego Wave Fútbol Club (Wave FC), which was valued at $120 million in October 2024 after it was acquired by the Levine Leichtman family from Ron Burkle, according to The Athletic. Butler’s interest in soccer dates back to the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he attended the men’s final, The Athletic reports. He sees the investment in Wave FC as a chance to set a new standard in women’s sports. “Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream,” Butler said in a press release. “San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I’m proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women’s sports can be both on and off the pitch,” he continued. View this post on...
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is expanding his portfolio. 888 Midas As AFROTECH ™ previously reported, Caleb Williams — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — launched investment firm 888 Midas that same year. The firm was created to “capitalize on select alternative investments in private equity, venture capital, and real estate,” notes a Business Wire press release. This fulfilled his desires as both an athlete and businessman, he said in the release . “Athletes are often inundated with and distracted by these opportunities. To eliminate the potential for distraction, it was important to me to immediately set up a business operation with established, trusted partners and advisors I’ve known for years to strategically take advantage of ventures in the global marketplace,” Williams commented. Investing In Boston Legacy Football Club 888 Midas’ latest investment is in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club, Boston Legacy Football Club. According to a news...
A planned international basketball league is gaining momentum. Front Office Sports (FOS) reports that a five-on-five men’s and women’s basketball league, quietly called “Project B,” could launch by the fall of next year with tournaments in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. It will follow the blueprint of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league, by offering equity to its players. The league’s investment group is led by Skype Co-founder Geoffrey Prentice and former Facebook executive Grady Burnett, reports FOS. Former WNBA player Candace Parker — who recently submitted a bid to bring a WNBA league to Nashville, TN, as AFROTECH™ previously reported — also backs the international league. Tennis players Novak Djokovic and Sloane Stephens, former WNBA player Alana Beard, ex-NFL quarterback Steve Young, and others are also listed as investors in the international team, per FOS. The league has also secured interest from “some of the game’s most respected athletes,” a spokesperson told FOS....
Chris Paul has expanded his investment portfolio. Drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets, Paul has earned $400.9 million in on-court salary, according to Spotrac. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the 12-time NBA All-Star suggested at this year’s American Black Film Festival that his NBA career may be nearing its end. He predicted he would play for a year “at the most.” When Paul’s time on the court concludes, he will have even more time to dedicate to his footprint as an entrepreneur and serial investor. His portfolio includes Ohh Dip!!! Entertainment, a full-service media production company that “specializes in non-scripted and scripted television, digital, documentaries, commercials, and films,” according to the organization’s website. Now, Paul has secured a minority stake in the Angel City Football Club (ACFC). According to a press release, the team is valued at $280 million, making it one of the most valuable women’s sports teams . Paul joins the investment group that...
Angel Reese has invested in a media company founded by a lineup of influential women athletes. TOGETHXR Formalized in 2019 and launched two years later, as Fast Company reported, TOGETHXR is a media and commerce company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, driven by a mission to prioritize representation and equality. According to its website, TOGETHXR’s storytelling serves to amplify women , especially since they receive less sports media coverage than their male counterparts. Former soccer player Alex Morgan, snowboarder Chloe Kim, former WNBA player Sue Bird, and swimmer Simone Manuel, are the co-founders of the organization — all carrying various accolades, including Olympic gold medals. “I haven’t always felt celebrated,” Manuel explained in a 2024 Time interview. “[Togethxr] is giving people access to the accomplishments women are achieving and celebrating all of it,” she continued. Angel Reese Joins As Investor Angel Reese of the WNBA team, Chicago Sky, now backs Togethxr as a...
WNBA player Napheesa Collier is back, making an impact both on and off the court. Who Is Napheesa Collier? Collier has become a key player for the Minnesota Lynx. A three-time All-WNBA selection and Olympic gold medalist, she quickly established herself after being drafted in 2019, according to College Net Worth. Her on-court impact includes helping lead the team to wins and earning Most Valuable Player of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, per CBS Sports. On Sunday, Aug. 24, Collier returned from an ankle injury to score 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting, with nine rebounds in 31 minutes, helping the Minnesota Lynx to a 97-84 win against the Indiana Fever, ESPN reports. “I had to knock some of the rust off,” Collier said, per ESPN. She added that teammate Courtney Williams would have finished with 11 assists if she had not missed her first few shots. “It feels like you are on the outside when you are not playing. I am having so much FOMO, so it feels good to be on the court with them...
Olympian Michael Johnson has a track and field league’s future is uncertain. Formation Of Grand Slam Track As AFROTECH™ previously reported, in 2024, Johnson announced plans for a track and field platform to help athletes commercialize their rights. The venture reportedly received a seven-figure investment from Winners Alliance, which was “the single largest investment in track and field history,” according to Sportico. The venture also marked a full-circle moment for Johnson, who holds records in the 200- and 400-meter races, according to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. “I love this sport and owe everything I have to this sport,” Johnson told Sportico. He added, “It’s been a shame for me to watch it over the last couple decades since I retired not be able to continue to provide the same amazing moments to people, outside of just the Olympics.” Expectations NBC News reported that Johnson claimed he secured $30 million in funding to support the formation of Grand Slam Track, a...
LeBron James reportedly is advocating for an international league. ESPN reports that Maverick Carter, James’ business manager, was considering a $5 billion raise to launch an international basketball league with the help of multiple private equity funds. According to CBS Sports, the league would compete directly with the NBA. James, who is playing with the Los Angeles Lakers under a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-2026 season, has expressed interest in NBA team ownership, particularly for Las Vegas. When the international league was announced, James was reportedly not involved with its plans. However, he may now be taking part. Front Office Sports mentions there was a meeting held in France between Carter, James, and Miško Ražnatović — the European agent of Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokić — regarding the international league, according to sources close to the matter. Details surrounding the league include having six men’s and six women’s teams that travel to play in...
Bobby Wagner is already laying the groundwork for a lasting legacy beyond the field. Wagner was drafted to the NFL in 2012 by the Seattle Seahawks and now represents the Washington Commanders. According to Spotrac, the linebacker has earned $109.5 million over his career so far. Wagner also served as his own agent to negotiate his last four contracts, such as a five-year deal valued at $65 million with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, CNBC reports. Now, it appears Wagner is working to increase his business acumen as a student at Howard University, notes The Dig at Howard University. He is enrolled in the HBCU’s Master of Business Administration program. Additionally, Howard is the only HBCU listed on Bloomberg Businessweek’s top business schools in the U.S. “There is a lot of excitement around having a prominent NFL player and someone who is doing great things off the field choose Howard University as his institution of choice,” said Mariko Carson, Ed.D., director of graduate affairs...
Richard Seymour is a minority owner in the league he once played in. A three-time NFL Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer, Seymour played in the league for 12 seasons and earned $89.5 million in career earnings, notes Spotrac. Beyond the playing field, he has been taking charge within the business and investing arena. In fact, he co-founded 93 Ventures — named as an homage to his jersey playing for the New England Patriots — alongside venture capitalist and strategic advisor Albert G. Sye IV. According to its website, the venture capital firm is based in Atlanta and has interests in industries such as late-stage pre-IPO tech unicorns, growth-stage consumer packaged goods and fintech, and early-stage Web3. Its investment portfolio includes Lyft, Airbnb, Sundae, Dapper Labs, and Calaxy, which is a social marketplace founded by tech entrepreneur Solo Ceesay and NBA star Spencer Dinwiddie. Calaxy has direct-to-consumer monetization and is intended to create more intimate experiences...
It’s official! Detroit will have its own WNBA team, backed by familiar and notable names. NBA legends Grant Hill and Chris Webber are minority team owners of the new WNBA team. As AFROTECH™ reported, Hill and Webber joined a bid in January 2025, led by Tom Gores, the owner of the Detroit Pistons, to secure a stake in bringing a WNBA team to Detroit. Both Webber and Hill had once played in the city, representing the NBA. Now, halfway through the year, the group — which also includes football quarterback Jared Goff — has much to celebrate, as their bid for a WNBA team has been approved. The team is set to launch and begin competing by 2029, with Little Caesars Arena as its home base and a new practice facility in development, according to CBS News. “This is a huge win for Detroit and the WNBA,” Gores said, per the outlet. “Today marks the long-hoped-for return of the WNBA to a city with deep basketball roots and a championship tradition.” He added, “Detroit played a key role in the...
TIAA President and CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett is now an investor in the WNBA’s New York Liberty. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Duckett is one of two Black women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Now, she is making headlines for her minority stake in the New York Liberty as part of an investor group, Essence reports. Majority team owners, Clara Wu Tsai and her husband, Joe Tsai, raised capital through the group at a valuation of $450 million, which is a record for a professional women’s sports franchise, according to The New York Times. What’s more, Clara shared that she thinks the team is capable of becoming the “first billion -dollar women’s sports franchise.” The Tsais are also co-owners of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. Duckett expressed on Instagram, “Sports has made a profound impact in my life. It taught me grit, perseverance, teamwork and resilience. To be an investor in women’s sports and the NY Liberty franchise is truly an impact moment.” View this post on Instagram A post...
Track stars Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, and Tara Davis-Woodhall are investing in familiar territory. What Is ATHLOS The trio has teamed up to join the ownership group of the ATHLOS track and field league. ATHLOS, launched in 2024 by Alexis Ohanian, Reddit founder and Serena Williams ‘ husband, began as an all-women’s track and field meet. According to Forbes, ATHLOS will return to New York, NY, for its 2025 meet but will scale into a full-fledged league starting next year. The team-based league’s website states that it will feature some of the fastest athletes in the world, span multiple cities, and build momentum toward a championship event. “ATHLOS is shifting gears, moving from a solo spotlight to team-centered showdowns where participating athletes will compete for teams, not just times. It’s still blazing fast, but with teams to cheer for,” the website mentions. ATHLOS offers $60,000 in prize money to the winner of each event across the meet, and 10% of all event...
Michael Strahan is reportedly looking to invest in his former team. Strahan was drafted by the NFL’s New York Giants in 1993 as a 40th overall pick, according to Sports Illustrated. He remained with the team throughout his 15-year career, stamping field achievements such as 850 tackles and over 135 sacks. In 2008, he won the Super Bowl, which he says changed his life permanently. “That Super Bowl was the biggest thing – that’s pretty much one of the biggest things to ever to happen to me,” Strahan expressed, per Big Blue View. “Winning that Super Bowl, especially in the fashion we did it, against the team that we did it against with that record that they had, definitely put me in a different light to a lot of people – which has led to an incredible life.” Nearly four months after the major victory, Strahan announced he would retire from the league, forgoing a $4 million contract for the 2008 season, The New York Time reported. Strahan amassed $76 million in earnings throughout his...
