Most Famous MLS Owners Ranked
Some of these owners are bigger than the club
I don’t want to ruin the count-down but there are some really, I mean really famous people investing in Major League Soccer these days. As the league continues to mature so does its stakeholders. I could easily put a top-15 list together…and you would recognize the vast majority of these names.
In fact I could probably produce a Hollywood blockbuster, compete for an NBA title, and hit a walk-off home run with this list. But today…all I’m interested in is breaking down the ‘top-5 most famous MLS owners,’ let’s get it!
Before we start I am Brian McDonough and this is State Of Soccer TV where we talk about everything soccer. Today we are talking about this high-profile marriage between celebrity status and MLS ownership.
I will run through the ‘top-five’ list and rank each personality based off of their fame globally. That means for my baseball aficionados…unfortunately Nomar and King Griffey Jr. do not make the cut, but instead Dwayne Wade does!
Coming in at #5 is the newest member to the list, Dwayne Wade.
Wade retired from NBA Basketball in 2019 but the 3X NBA Champion has been very active off of the court. Very recently Wade linked up with Smith Entertainment Group and is now a minority owner in Real Salt Lake. Wade’s international popularity and marriage to actress Gabriel Union makes his brand even stronger. RSL is very lucky to have D-Wade endorse their team.
At #4 is another NBA Superstar. This owner has not stepped on an NBA court since 1996 but is unanimously loved all around the world. I am referring to ‘Magic,’ Magic Johnson. Arguably the best point guard of all time, ‘Magic’ is an icon. When he announced his co-ownership of LAFC back in 2014 this news made waves all around the world…partially due to someone else on this list, but we’ll get there. A 5X-NBA Champion, Magic Johnson is involved in all different ventures these days but his ownership stake in Major League Soccer, he is very proud of.
‘Alright Alright Alright’ now for #3 we have the dynamic actor…you guessed it. Matthew McConaughey.
As we progress down this list it’s very tough to separate some of these top-owners but due to his status as a global Hollywood star, McConaughey takes number three. The Texas Longhorn alum’ has been active since 1991 starring in some Hollywood biggest blockbuster films such as: Wolf On Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wedding Planner, and many, many more. An accomplished author, philanthropist, and active YouTuber…something we have in common…
…McConaughey joined the Austin F.C. team as an investor/minority owner. When he is not busy serving as the creative director for Wild Turkey, on a Hollywood set, or on the sidelines of an UT Austin football game, you can find him at Q2 stadium. One of the most sought after men in Hollywood, and the #3 most famous MLS owner on this list.
At #2 is another actor who is arguably more famous than Matthew McConaughey. I will leave you all to debate this in the comments below…but I am talking about the funniest man on this list, Will Ferrell.
Will Ferrell is also a part owner of LAFC which makes LAFC staked when it comes to its owners. In fact besides Magic Johnson…Nomar Garciaparra and his wife, Mia Hamm also are minority owners in the black & gold. But no one can top Will Ferrell on this list…except of course #1.
Ferrell has been in so many successful films. He’s very active in the public eye and more recently has been even trying his hand at producing some of the top films, and shows in Hollywood.
His energy, charisma, and brand power have been a huge asset to one of MLS’s more high-profiled franchises.
At #1 is one of the most iconic names in the world. He is a brand. He is a superstar on the field, and a megastar off.
Although he hung up his boots back in 2013, he has remained a constant fixture in the public eye & in Major League Soccer. I am of course talking about no other than mister David Beckham.
Beckham came to MLS following his days with Manchester United and Real Madrid. From 2007 to 2012 he played in MLS and part of his deal with MLS back in ‘07 was that he could option to buy an MLS expansion franchise for $25 million following his contractual duties.
David would exercise this option on February 5th, 2014. Thus the birth of Inter Miami F.C.
One of the more impressive feats of Beckham’s career considering MLS franchises on average are now valued at a half a billion dollars in 2021.
The marriage between Beckham’s brand, MLS, and the city of Miami is ought to be an exciting one. Although Inter Miami has not had much success on the field thus far, Beckham has done a tremendous job drawing international attention to this club.
It’s hard to dispute that David Beckham is the biggest name on this list. A list that I would bet is bound to grow and expand with exciting names in the future.
So with that I want to thank you for tuning into this episode of State Of Soccer TV. Once again my name is Brian McDonough and until next time make sure to subscribe, hit that like button, and check out our socials, links listed below!
Signing off! Stay safe everyone.
YouTube: www.youtube.com/stateofsoccer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sosoccertv
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sosoccertv/