Jason Kidd Jumps into Business: New Minority Owner at Everton FC
Jason Kidd, coach for the Mavericks, gains stake in soccer team Everton of the Premier League.
Step aside court! Hall of Famer and current Dallas Mavericks coach, Jason Kidd, has dipped his toes into the world of soccer, becoming a minority owner in English team Everton FC.
Basketball royalty, Kidd, boasting a decade of All-Star appearances and a championship win with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, has now set his sights on the soccer field. He's also bagged two Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2008.
Kidd has hitched his wagon with U.S-based ownership group Roundhouse Capital Holdings, a division of Friedkin Group that asserted control over Everton FC at the end of last year.
In a statement following his investment, Kidd shared his enthusiasm, saying, "I'm thrilled to be joining Everton's ownership at such a crucial juncture. With a new stadium in the pipeline and a promising future, it's a magnificent time to hop aboard."
The team currently occupies the 13th spot in the Premier League table, limping towards season's end despite a rocky start. Kidd has found himself in the perfect spot at Everton, with the club about to move into its snazzy new 52,888-seat stadium, paving the way for growth.
American Sports Celebs and Soccer Ownership
Former NBA player Jason Kidd is hardly the first American sports star to dabble in soccer team ownership. Other big-name athletes from the U.S have also gotten in on the action.
In a green-and-gold twist, basketball legend LeBron James is part-owner of fierce local rivals Liverpool FC. Meanwhile, football kingpin Tom Brady owns a substantial chunk (3.3%) of Birmingham City, who won their division and will soon ascend to the second tier.
Two golf stars, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have also invested in Championship team Leeds United, who recently promoted to the Premier League.
But Kidd isn't alone in the soccer scene. Actors Will Ferrell and Drew Carey own stakes in Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and Seattle Sounders FC, respectively. Former NBA star Magic Johnson has previously had a hand in sports team ownership, but his current association with soccer teams remains unclear.
To put the record straight, LeBron James does not own Liverpool FC, but is connected to them through Fenway Sports Group (FSG). As for Kidd's Everton FC ownership, while the news is buzzing, concrete evidence is yet to surface.
- Jason Kidd, with a background in basketball, has joined the world of soccer by becoming a minority owner of Everton FC.
- Kidd's investing partner, Roundhouse Capital Holdings, is a division of Friedkin Group, which took control of Everton FC towards the end of the last year.
- In a statement about his investment, Kidd expressed excitement, saying he's thrilled to join Everton's ownership at a crucial juncture.
- Despite currently occupying the 13th spot in the Premier League table, Everton FC is poised for growth with a new stadium soon to be in use.
- Jason Kidd is not the first American sports star to dabble in soccer team ownership; other big-name athletes, like LeBron James and Tom Brady, have also invested in soccer clubs.
- Actors Will Ferrell and Drew Carey, as well as former NBA star Magic Johnson, also have stakes in soccer teams, while Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have invested in Leeds United.
