Stephen Douglas Kerr or Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors has entered the world of soccer after purchasing a minority stake in Spanish side RCD Mallorca after an ownership change which made Andy Kohlberg the majority stakeholder. The legendary NBA player turned coach is a part of the new investment group that has former NBA star Steve Nash and former Chelsea star Graeme Le Saux.
Talking about his new venture in the world of soccer, Kerr emphasized the role of Andy Kohlberg saying, “We were together this summer. He told me there was a shift in the ownership group and he offered me the chance to be part of the new investment group. I was so excited, having been in Mallorca last summer watching a game, following the team and becoming a fan. It was a really exciting opportunity and I jumped at it.”
Steve Kerr is joining Steve Nash as an owner in 🇪🇸 club RCD Mallorca.
The rush to soccer investing is real. pic.twitter.com/XSVtJ5uBvc
— Andrew Petcash (@AndrewPetcash) August 23, 2023
Kerr joins his fellow rival coach two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash who has been involved with the club since 2016. The club of Mallorca and its fans are not new to American ownership as back in 2016, the owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, Robert Saver bought the club when they were in the Segunda division (second division). Kohlberg, the former Tennis star, has been on the board since 2016 as the president but he has assumed the role of after the buyout.
Kerr will be the coach of the US Basketball team till 2024. He has been a nine-time NBA champion, five as a player, with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs and the rest as the coach of the Golden State Warriors. Kerr and Nash previously worked together when Nash was a player consultant at the Warriors. The finances of the deal have not been made public yet but the new board has begun operating since July.
Other notable American owners of soccer
American ownership of a soccer club is well known, with notable examples like the FSG group and Glazers owning Liverpool and Manchester United. Though fans have some strong opinions, few can argue about the success and the increase in brand value their clubs have gone through under American ownership.
Stan Kroenke, another American who owns Arsenal FC, has also seen a change in fortune lately as the club has performed well last year. However, one of the most recognizable owners in the Premier League is Todd Boehly, the lavish owner of Chelsea who has spent almost a billion in just one year on transfers, building another Galactico-esque team.
But one of the greatest stories in modern soccer history is that of Welsh side Wrexham who has made their way into the fourth division of English football after being a non-league side for most of their lifetime. This massive turnaround mainly took place after American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took charge of the club.
Arsenal transfer plan justified amid Stan Kroenke’s £208m summer investment#AFChttps://t.co/jYdJOWjLKn pic.twitter.com/fYRoBlkaJS
— Arsenal FC News (@ArsenalFC_fl) August 22, 2023
RCD Mallorca themselves were playing in the second division in Spain but after the ownership of Robert Saver, the club has been promoted to the first division and is yet to be relegated. So yes it can be argued that the Americans don’t run a soccer club in a traditional way that would please the fans but in the end, they do get the job done.
