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Trinity Rodman is following in her father’s legendary footsteps while making history in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The 19-year-old has signed a $1.1 million deal with Washington Spirit, making her the highest-paid player in NWSL history, according to ESPN. In a sport that unfortunately lacks representation of Black athletes, the moment isn’t only monumental for Trinity Rodman, but for the community as a whole. “We’re incredibly excited to have Trin as a part of the Spirit family for at least the next three seasons,” Spirit coach Kris Ward said. “She has a truly special career ahead of her and makes us a better club on all fronts.”
Serena Williams has ownership in a new sports team. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the tennis legend is an investor in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club Angel City FC, alongside her family, which includes her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian Sr., and their two daughters, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and Adira River Ohanian. According to a press release, Williams has officially joined the ownership group of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo, which is owned by Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Sports Ventures. Williams’ presence is also a full-circle moment, as she launched her career journey in Canada back in 1995. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) “I am thrilled to announce my ownership role in the first Canadian WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo,” Williams said in the press release. “This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes — I have always said that women’s sports...
Tracy McGrady has long aspired to team ownership, and now that he’s secured a stake in the NFL, he’s dedicated to increasing representation in the league. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the basketball icon was announced as a minority owner of the Buffalo Bills in December 2024. He joins his former Toronto Raptors teammate and fellow Florida native, Vince Carter, as part of a group of 10 limited partners, which also includes soccer star Jozy Altidore. This marks the first time the Bills, owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, have expanded their ownership group. “I’ve always wanted to be an owner of a franchise and really didn’t care whether it’s the NBA, a soccer league, whether it’s in the NFL,” McGrady explained in an exclusive interview with AFROTECH™ held at a private reception that was hosted by Diverse Representation and William Morris Endeavor (WME) on Saturday, Dec. 8 to honor Black professionals in sports. Kevell Byrd McGrady also reveals the backstory behind becoming a minority...
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expanding his portfolio with a new investment tied to sports. Sportico reports the Milwaukee Bucks superstar is an investor in ScorePlay, an artificial intelligence -powered sports media management platform launched by Victorien Tixier (CEO) and Xavier Green (CTO) in 2021. Its solutions streamline sports organizations’ essential digital workflows by automating the management of photos and short video clips, its website mentions. Features among all its tiers include: Automated ingestion of photos and short videos Unlimitied AI tagging Usage analytics “The idea is to maximize the distribution, both on your own social channel, but also distributing the content to your athletes, who are your best storytellers,” Tixier told CNBC. ScorePlay had already attracted the attention of Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s 35V family office, as well as Eli Manning, notes the outlet. Most recently, it has closed a $13 million Series A round led by Harry Stebbings’ 20VC, which...
Serena Williams and her family are investors in what has now become the most valuable women’s sports franchise. In 2020, the tennis star, alongside her husband and Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian , joined a star-studded ownership group to establish Angel City FC, a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team representing Los Angeles, CA, which officially launched in 2022, according to BBC Sport. Investors at the time included actresses Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner, Uzo Aduba, and America Ferrera. Williams and Ohanian also added their daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., who was just 2 years old at the time, as one of the team’s investors. This led Olympia to make history as the youngest owner of a professional sports team at the time, and she held onto that title until it was taken by her younger sister Adira River Ohanian, as AFROTECH™ previously mentioned. “We come together with a collective passion for bringing about change,” Julie Uhrman, Angel City FC co-founder...
Tori Bell is helping companies ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not an afterthought. Interest In DEI Work The Agnes Scott College graduate’s interest in DEI work was sparked during her early career stages in investment banking in Atlanta, GA, at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. She served as an analyst and associate program manager between 2012 and 2015, managing the summer analyst program, her LinkedIn mentions. She later joined Jopwell, a career platform for minority students and professionals. The platform had received backing from a number of investors, including Magic Johnson, who had participated in a $3.25 million seed round in 2016, according to Inc. magazine. “What I saw during my time there was that you can hire diverse individuals into these major companies, but if they’re not prepared to support them i t’s kind of like you’re yelling into a void, ” Bell told AFROTECH™. “You’re not really doing much to move the needle, because you’re going to see turnover...
Investment firm partners Monique Idlett-Mosley and Erica Duignan Minnihan are level-headed in their approach to allocating capital to companies. Forming Reign Ventures The duo lead Reign Ventures, an early-stage investment fund targeting consumer technology and software startups led by women and minorities. Both founders, who met more than a decade ago during an executive MBA program, bring distinct experiences to their roles, which fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. Idlett-Mosley, co-founder and managing partner, brings 20 years of experience spanning entertainment, marketing, press, and entrepreneurship, and previously worked as CEO for Mosley Brands and Mosley Music Group. Minnihan, co-founder and general partner, has collected 15 years of experience as an investor and advisor. She began her career in investment banking with roles at Citigroup, Credit Suisse, and Cantor Fitzgerald. She later transitioned to venture capital as managing director at DreamIt Ventures, executive...
A controversial conspiracy theory reportedly led Shaquille O’Neal to lose a $20 million deal. O’Neal has a track record of hitting gold in business. It’s why he has supposedly amassed $500 million, per Celebrity New Worth. Some of his wise moves include his Big Chicken restaurant franchise, which can be found in California, Nevada, New York, Texas, Washington, and on the seas thanks to two Carnival Cruise ships, a press release notes. Most recently, Big Chicken celebrated its grand opening in the Dallas, TX, area in Fort Worth, now marking its fifth franchise location in Texas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Big Chicken (@bigchickenshaq) One can also look to his success in the investment world. He invested in Google and unintentionally struck gold. In fact, it was by “accident” that he even invested in the tech company. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, he spoke with a prominent investor who was talking about Google at the Four Seasons. The conversation led to a...
Magic Johnson now has five teams in his investment portfolio. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the NBA-legend-turned-serial- entrepreneur has ownership in the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, MLS’s Los Angeles Football Club, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and NFL’s Washington Commanders. Now, he is announcing his involvement with a fifth team. “CBS Mornings” reports he joined the investor group for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team Washington Spirit , which is led by Michele Kang, the first woman of color to have majority ownership in the NWSL. The pair first met in Los Angeles, CA, and immediately connected over a shared excitement for the growing popularity in women’s soccer in the U.S. “I’m so excited to join the Washington Spirit’s investor group at such a pivotal time in the club’s history! Partnering with a visionary like Michele Kang and her team to advance the growth of the Washington Spirit and the NWSL is an incredible opportunity,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. View...
Grant Hill has diversified his wealth in team ownership. Hill had previously been a player across four teams in the NBA, and his time would conclude after 19 seasons. He accumulated more than $100 million during his playing days, and his earnings would only continue in retirement, CNBC reports. Atlanta Hawks In 2015, two years following his exit, Hill began sporting a new hat as a team owner. As previously mentioned by AFROTECH™, he became part of an ownership group headed by Ares Management Founder Tony Ressler, which acquired a stake in the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks from the ownership team led by Bruce Levenson, per Bleacher Report. The sale was reportedly valued at $850 million, reports ESPN. What’s more, it has proven to be a great addition to Hill’s portfolio as the team is now worth a staggering $3.3 billion, notes Forbes in 2023. Orlando City Soccer Club And Orlando Pride Hill widened his presence in ownership, alongside his wife, Tamia, becoming limited partners through their...
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has become something of a household name thanks to his 2019 season with the team when he led them to their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years. Even though he has only been at the pro level for a short time, other opportunities like endorsements with Subway and Adidas, as well as other high profile investments in the sports industry , have helped to propel his visibility beyond the sports world. With a career that seems to only be getting brighter with time, a common question many people ask is exactly how much is Patrick Mahomes worth these days? Patrick Mahomes Early Life Patrick Mahomes is a native Texan from the town of Tyler where he was born in 1995. He is the son of Pat Mahomes, who is a former MLB pitcher for several teams in the U.S. and who also played a few seasons in the Nippon Professional League in Japan. From a young age, Patrick always showed an interest in sports, having played basketball, baseball and...
Just last year, sports league startup Overtime raised $80 million in its Series C funding round, as previously reported by AfroTech. For 2022, the Drake and Jeff Bezos-backed company is scaling even further. Overtime has raised $100 million in its Series D funding round, according to a press release. The round was led by Liberty Media Corporation and Counterpoint Global and included investors such as Bezos Capital, Winslow Capital, Blackstone, and Sapphire Sport. With the new funding, the leading sports brand is diving into Web3 and e-commerce, per the release. Additionally, it will expand its Overtime Elite (OTE) basketball league, OT7 high school football league, new sports leagues, and sports digital content — both short-form and long-form. “This significant investment co-led by Liberty Media, who has fostered the explosive growth of Formula 1, is a real validation of the disruptive sports IP that we have created over the past year,” said Dan Porter, Overtime’s CEO and...