Tom Brady, LeBron James… Steve Kerr: Warriors coach becomes the latest US sports star to buy into a European football club as the nine-time NBA champion invests in Spain’s Real Mallorca
- Steve Nash, who trained under Kerr at Golden State, is another minority owner
- Brady (Birmingham) and James (Liverpool) are minority owners of English clubs
- offers the latest international sports news
Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, is following in the footsteps of Tom Brady, LeBron James and Mike Piazza and is the youngest American athlete to own a stake in a European football club.
In his case, Kerr joins his former Warriors assistant Steve Nash as a minority owner of 107-year-old Real Mallorca. The nine-time NBA champion is buying into Mallorca’s restructured ownership group, led by team president Andy Kohlberg, which also includes Scottish-born American soccer player Stuart Holden.
The group acquired a majority stake in the club from disgraced former Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver earlier this year, when Sarver simultaneously fired its NBA and WNBA clubs amid hostile workplace claims and allegations of racism.
“I’m a friend of Andy Kohlberg’s and we talked this summer,” Kerr said. “He told me about the change of ownership and offered me the chance to be part of the new investment group.” I’m really looking forward to it, last summer I went to Mallorca to watch a game, support the team and become a fan. “It’s a very exciting opportunity.”
The club announced Kerr’s arrival at Spurs.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr buys into Real Mallorca from Spain
Mallorca fans ahead of the LaLiga Santander vs Valencia CF game at the Visit Mallorca Estadi
Real Mallorca’s Kosovan striker Vedat Muriqi challenges Denmark’s Villarreal goalkeeper
“When he was here a year ago speaking to the players he made a huge impression and I enjoyed hearing the message of how important it is to be a team and every member on the pitch and on the Involve the bank to achieve this. “Always be ready,” said the American Kohlberg. “The players loved it and Steve enjoyed it too.”
Kerr is hardly the first NBA star to invest in a European football club.
Nash, a Hall of Famer who was fired as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, became a shareholder in Mallorca in 2016.
James bought two percent of Liverpool and then increased his stake in the English club in a deal with majority owner Fenway Sports Group.
And it’s not just the NBA. Brady recently attended his first game at Birmingham after becoming involved with the English club.
James (left) bought 2 per cent of Liverpool and then increased his stake in the club in a later deal. Hall of Famer Mike Piazza (right) bought a controlling stake in Italy’s AC Reggiana
Birmingham City co-owner Tom Brady meets fans at half-time during a game at St Andrew’s
Hall of Famer Mike Piazza actually bought a controlling stake in Italian third division club AC Reggiana, much to the dismay of team fans. Despite initial optimism, the 103-year-old club struggled under Piazza, eventually going bankrupt and eliminated from Italy’s Serie C.
Since then, the club has regrouped without a piazza, largely unpopular at the end of his tenure as owner.
As for Mallorca, the team finished ninth last La Liga season and are currently 0-1-1 at the start of this season.
Kerr is currently preparing to coach the US men at the FIBA World Championships later this month in the Philippines.