Marques Colston, former New Orleans Saints receiver, and ex-mixed martial artist Nick Edwards have launched the Champion Fund, offering fans a chance to buy into professional sports for as little as $500 a share. The fund provides access to ownership stakes in teams, sports technology, stadium real estate, and private deals including a stake in English soccer club Ipswich Town, according to fortune.com.
The idea originated after Colston retired in 2015, when he realized that despite the value created by players and fans, ownership remained concentrated among a few ultra-high-net-worth individuals. The Champion Fund aims to democratize sports ownership by allowing regular fans to invest alongside billionaires and private equity firms. The fund bundles assets across multiple sports-related sectors to diversify fan investments.
The sports industry has grown substantially, with the four major U.S. leagues now valued close to $500 billion combined and the average NFL team worth about $7 billion. This growth has been driven by extended TV deals and sponsorships, outperforming the S&P 500 since 2014. Colston’s fund taps into this expanding market by opening ownership opportunities to a broader base of investors, challenging the traditional ownership model dominated by a select few.
The Champion Fund’s $500 share price sets a low entry point for fans to own parts of the sports ecosystem. The fund’s portfolio includes stakes in teams, sports technology firms, and stadium real estate, with Ipswich Town being a notable asset. Colston and Edwards plan to expand access to sports ownership beyond elite investors, as detailed on fortune.com.