Kevin Durant, the two-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion, and his business partner Rich Kleiman, founders of Thirty Five Ventures (35V), announced acquiring a stake in National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club, NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Durant and Kleiman have been proactive in franchise investments in recent years, they had purchased a stake in the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2020. The investment will also help them extend their presence in sports.
After ex-U.S. women’s national team star, Carli Lloyd became a minority owner six months after retiring from the game, Durant is the latest sports celebrity to get a share in the NWSL club. New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy, lead an ownership group that includes Durant.
“As a New York-based company, the opportunity for us to partner with a forward-thinking team like Gotham FC was a no brainer,” 35V Co-founder, Rich Kleiman stated in a news release. “There’s been so much growth in the NWSL in recent years, and the chance to be a part of that growth and work directly with the Gotham FC executive team and players is really exciting.”
Gotham Managing Owner, Nalbandian stated the following, “This is another big step forward for our franchise. Kevin and Rich are two of the most influential people in sports and their work in the business and entertainment world and their significant investment in Gotham FC illustrates the potential of our club.
“They will be tremendous resources to the club across multiple areas and we’re excited to welcome them to the Gotham FC family.”