What’s the point of owning a sports franchise if you can’t make irresponsible trades, overpay role players, furtively watch from a dimly lit owner’s box or make Roger Goodell eat shit?
Having a partial stake in a franchise is like going to Las Vegas and not being allowed to gamble, or going to Six Flags and not being able to ride the rollercoasters.
No one fronts more than a partial owner. Jay-Z sat courtside at Brooklyn Nets game as an “owner,” but he might as well have been a mascot. The Packer’s A.J. Dillon bought a part ownership stake in Green Bay yet he can’t trade himself (or call the shots in a potential Aaron Rodgers deal).
Besides an investment into a franchise that will probably net Dwyane Wade or Shaq millions, what is the point in “owning” any team? I think I answered my own question in the question, but if an athlete is looking to fill the competitive void created by stepping away via ownership, they’re probably better off sponsoring a Little League team.
So here’s a list of least powerful athletes turned owners whose roster suggestions are taken into account as much as the next fan on Twitter (or writer online):