NBA star Kevin Durant secures partnership with Paris Saint-Germain via investment firm Arctos
In a strategic move, basketball superstar Kevin Durant has invested in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer club through his investment arm, Boardroom Sports Holdings. This marks the latest American star athlete to venture into European soccer.
Boardroom Sports Holdings, a media and investment company co-founded by Durant and his longtime business partner Rich Kleiman, focuses on sports and entertainment investments. The deal, formalized in 2024, allowed Durant to acquire a direct minority stake in PSG.
The investment was made in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the majority owner of PSG. This partnership represents a minority direct shareholding for Durant, with QSI retaining its majority stake.
The collaboration between Boardroom and QSI extends beyond ownership, as both entities work together on commercial, content, and strategic initiatives to drive PSG's growth. This partnership involves a multi-sport strategy and market expansion, particularly with PSG's interest in basketball and U.S. markets.
Durant's investment in PSG was made through a specialized vehicle that only contains Arctos Partners' stake in the club. Arctos Partners, a U.S. private investment firm, bought a 12.5% stake in PSG at a $4.3 billion valuation at the end of last year.
It's worth noting that Durant's investment setup keeps him from holding any part of Arctos' NBA assets, ensuring compliance with league rules.
Joining Durant in investing in European soccer clubs are fellow athletes J.J. Watt, who recently acquired a stake in Burnley, and Tom Brady, who has an investment in Birmingham City. LeBron James is a limited partner in Liverpool, while Russell Westbrook has acquired a stake in Leeds United.
In addition to his investment in PSG, Durant has also purchased stakes in Major League Soccer club Philadelphia Union and Major League Pickleball club Brooklyn Aces.
Despite the influx of new investors, PSG remains majority owned by Qatar Sports Investments. This strategic relationship combines Durant’s sports and media influence with QSI’s ownership of PSG, leveraging Boardroom as the investment vehicle to hold shares and conduct commercial activities related to the club.
- Kevin Durant's investment arm, Boardroom Sports Holdings, has diversified its sports and entertainment investments by acquiring a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer club, marking a foray into European soccer finance.
- The NBA star's investment in PSG was facilitated by a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), with Durant maintaining a minor direct shareholding while QSI retains the majority stake.
- The partnership between Boardroom and QSI extends beyond ownership, with both entities collaborating on commercial, content, and strategic initiatives to expand PSG's interests, particularly in basketball and U.S. markets, and engaging in a multi-sport investment strategy.
