NBA: Kevin Durant hopes to buy small part of NFL’s Commanders
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The Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant is a lifelong fan of the Washington Commanders.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES – Kevin Durant said he is interested in being part of a future ownership group of the Washington Commanders, his hometown National Football League (NFL) team.
The Brooklyn Nets star and former National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player told ESPN that he would be delighted to own a sliver of the team should owner Daniel Snyder decide to sell. Snyder and his wife, Tanya, announced last week they were exploring a potential sale.
“In a perfect world, I would be a part of it,” Durant said. “I would love to do it. I would love to give a little bit of my money to be a part of the Commanders, but we’ll see.”
Prospective bidders for the team are rumoured to include a partnership between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and music mogul Jay-Z. Mat Ishbia, a mortgage executive who bid for the Denver Broncos when they were for sale earlier in 2022, has already said he is interested. Media entrepreneur Byron Allen, another Broncos bidder, is also expected to put in an offer.
Walmart heir Rob Walton bought the Broncos for a record US$4.65 billion (S$6.5 billion), and the Commanders are expected to sell for a record price. In August, Forbes valued the team at US$5.6 billion – sixth-highest in the NFL.
While Durant, 34, has career earnings of about US$350 million, he told ESPN he knows he could afford just a small stake and he is okay with it.
“Just get a little closer to the team if I were to be able to be in that position,” he said. “Try to learn the business, try to learn from an ownership’s perspective and a front-office perspective, coach’s perspective, try to get closer to players.”
Durant has already dabbled in sports ownership. He holds 5 per cent of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer, has minority ownership of NY/NJ Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League and co-ownership of a pickleball team.
But the Commanders are special to him. And he said he thinks the future is bright.
“Our market is incredible. There’s a lot of support in D.C., a lot of money in D.C. to be made... We got some foundation pieces that can help you win football games moving forward,” Durant said.
“I know we’ve had some losing seasons, but it’s starting to come around for us. I’m excited as a fan... I’m excited to see who they bring in and who they sell the team to.” REUTERS
