Milwaukee Bucks superstar and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Brewers franchise.
With a grinning Antetokounmpo sitting beside him, Brewers chairman and principal owner Mark Attanasio announced the news at a press conference Friday afternoon at American Family Field.
“It’s my true honor and privilege today to announce that Giannis and his family will be owners of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club,” said Attanasio.
Antetokounmpo is the first new individual investor added to the Brewers ownership group since Attanasio purchased controlling interest in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005.
“The city of Milwaukee means so much to me,” Antetokounmpo said. “I am honored to be joining the Brewers ownership group to further my commitment and dedication to this great community. I take great pride in my city and I’m excited about what we can build together.”
Coming off a season that began with the signing of a five-year, $228 million supermax contract extension with the Bucks and concluded with an NBA Championship title for the team, Giannis has doubled down on his commitment to Milwaukee. But the championship wasn’t the catalyst for his investment in the Brewers, he said.
Antetokounmpo contacted the Brewers last year expressing his interest in joining the Major League Baseball team’s investor group. From there, said Attanasio, the partnership formed organically, and the deal was finalized in early May.
“My team reached out a year ago,” said Antetokounmpo. “I think I was in the (NBA) Bubble. I was laying down in quarantine and I was like, ‘I want to be involved, I want to be involved in the community and I think this would be a good way to start.”
As a 26-year-old, who doesn’t “know much about baseball,” Antetokounmpo said he has a lot to learn — both about the sport and professional sports investing. At one point, around the time he first reached out to the Brewers, Antetokounmpo had the opportunity to purchase a stake in a European soccer team. But he said he turned it down because he instead wanted to be “part of the Milwaukee Brewers.”
“Learning from Mark is going to be big, because this is what I want to do next,” Antetokounmpo said.
