The ball doesn’t stop rolling for Kevin Durant just because his Brooklyn Nets had a setback in the post-season. Durant and his partner, Rich Kleiman of Thirty Five Ventures, have added to their business portfolio by becoming minority investors in the New York City area soccer club Gotham FC.
The two have joined as minority investors of the club. According to the club, since March, Thirty Five Ventures has been the third group of investors to stake in the franchise.
“As a New York-based company, the opportunity for us to partner with a forward-thinking team like Gotham FC was a no brainer,” said 35V co-founder Rich Kleiman in a statement. “There’s been so much growth in the NWSL in recent years, and the chance to be a part of that growth and work directly with the Gotham FC executive team and players is really exciting.”
The KD Approach
In the greatest of adversity, KD has always had a balanced approach to life and continues to win championship rings with his business endeavors, philanthropy, and mass media offerings.
The investment includes additional partnership elements such as content creation, social media support, player relations, and community outreach.
The announcement follows 35V’s previous partnerships in women’s sports, including investment in Just Women’s Sports media network and a strategic partnership with pro sports league Athletes Unlimited.
Durant and Kleiman serve as board members for the sports league.
Secondary Soccer Layer
However, the move is not the company’s first foray into soccer. After acquiring an ownership stake in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, a professional soccer team, the two also invested in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union in June 2020.
“Bringing in Kevin, Rich, and 35V as investors is a huge statement about the positive trajectory of our club,” said Tammy Murphy, Club Chair, Gotham FC.
“The level of enthusiasm they’ve displayed has been above and beyond anything we could have anticipated. We have tremendous aspirations this year both on and off the field and, together with 35V’s support and resources, we’re going to make sure New Jersey and New York hear all about it!”
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