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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 30: LeBron James and Dwayne Wade attend a Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 30: LeBron James and Dwayne Wade attend a Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Dwyane Wade joins LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and James Harden in the exclusive group of NBA players with ownership stakes in soccer teams. Wade, who joined the Smith Entertainment Group when they purchased the Utah Jazz, is now a part-owner of the Real Salt Lake Franchise in the MLS. He announced his involvement after Salt Lake City confirmed the Smith Entertainment Group had purchased them.
Excited to join the soccer world and be part of @realsaltlake alongside my partners at Smith Entertainment Group @RyanQualtrics and @ryanjsweeney. Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/HEsPrU5igO
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) January 6, 2022
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With this purchase, he joins the elite group of players who own or partially own stakes in soccer teams. While they did not report Dwyane Wade’s personal investment, he confirmed he is a part of this deal.
Dwyane Wade reacts to joining the MLS world
Dwyane Wade confirmed his involvement in the whopping $400 million deal that changed the ownership of RSL FC. He then took to Twitter to express how he feels about this business decision.
Thankful 🥅 ⚽️ https://t.co/hbKjGjJXnv
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) January 6, 2022
While it is common to see NBA stars making financial investments elsewhere, only a few of them have invested in soccer teams. Kevin Durant owns 5% of the ownership stake in the Philadelphia Union. James Harden owns a 5% stake in the Houston Dynamo. Both franchises compete against Wade’s RSL in the MLS.
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MILWAUKEE, WI – JANUARY 20: Dwyane Wade address the crowd during a game between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Providence Friars at the Fiserv Forum on January 20, 2019 in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Simultaneously, LeBron James spent a whopping $6.5 million to purchase a 2% stake in the Merseyside club, Liverpool. It seems Wade made the same intelligent decision to invest in a soccer team.
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What does this mean for Real Salt Lake FC?
RSL FC is coming off an incredible run in the MLS Playoffs where they made the Western Conference Finals. This came after they barely made the playoffs at the end of the regular season. However, their heart and hustle showed that this team might have a bright future.
So with the confirmed sale of the franchise, can the new owners lead this franchise all the way? Can they give them the financial and organizational control they need to bring home an MLS title? Let us know what you think about it.
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