"Awesome leader in the clubhouse!" - Magic Johnson gives props to Dodgers' President of Operations for landing Jason Heyward in LA
NBA legend Magic Johnson became a minority owner of the MLB's LA Dodgers in 2012. Despite only having a small stake invested in the franchise, Johnson seems to be an active member of the organization. The Dodgers recently acquired Jason Heyward, and Johnson is quite pleased with the acquisition.
Magic Johnson posted on X, formerly known as Twitter:
"I want to thank @Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman for bringing Jason to the Dodgers. He’s been great at the plate, spectacular on defense, and an awesome leader in the clubhouse!"
Magic Johnson is now the owner of four sports teams including the LA Dodgers
Magic Johnson's portfolio of sports team ownership has expanded to cover four major professional leagues, thanks to the recent sale of the Washington Commanders for $6.05 billion to Josh Harris.
Johnson's journey into sports team ownership began nearly three decades ago when he acquired approximately 4.5% ownership in the LA Lakers in June 1994, reportedly investing $10 million.
However, he later sold his stake in the Lakers in 2010. Since then, the Lakers' franchise value has skyrocketed to nearly $6 billion, according to Forbes. Following his tenure with the Lakers, Johnson invested $50 million in 2012, securing a 2.3% ownership share in the LA Dodgers.
The NBA legend described this investment as the most substantial check he had ever written. Today, the Dodgers are the second-most valuable MLB franchise, valued at $4.8 billion by Forbes, trailing only the New York Yankees.
Johnson's trifecta of LA sports team ownership was solidified in 2014 when he acquired ownership stakes in both the WNBA's Sparks and LAFC in MLS. When Johnson joined, LAFC was an expansion club, but it has since achieved a remarkable valuation of $1 billion, making it the most valuable team in MLS.
In addition to these teams, Johnson is also involved in esports ownership through aXiomatic, a company he co-owns with Ted Leonsis, the owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards and NHL's Capitals. Under aXiomatic's umbrella is Team Liquid, an esports organization valued at $440 million in 2022.