Magic not always result for celeb owners
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Magic Johnson alone can’t guarantee the Los Angeles Dodgers a World Series banner, but Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz, who knows a little something about winning teams, says, “The Dodgers franchise is probably in the best position it’s been in in a long, long time.”
Schuerholz and Stan Kasten were the brains behind the Braves’ unparalleled run of success from 1987 to 2003. Kasten now is a partner with Johnson on the Dodgers ownership team that paid a record $2.15 billion for the franchise.
“Magic knows what it takes to build a champion,” Schuerholz says. “With Stan’s involvement and his experience and expertise to build and operate a professional sports franchise, I don’t think (baseball) could have made a better choice. It’s good for that franchise, and it’s good for our sport.”
A successful athlete or celebrity leaping into U.S. sports team ownership isn’t always a panacea for a flagging franchise, though some have triumphed in the role. A sampling:
-Michael Jordan: A six-time NBA champion and five-time league MVP, Jordan became co-owner and head of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards in 2000. He was fired from his management position in 2003. Undeterred, Jordan became majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010. The Bobcats had the league’s worst record (7-40) heading into Wednesday.
-Mario Lemieux: A two-time Stanley Cup champion as a player, Lemieux effectively saved the Pittsburgh Penguins from bankruptcy when he became principle owner in 1999 and watched his franchise capture the Stanley Cup in 2009.
-Wayne Gretzky: The NHL’S all-time leading scorer, Gretzky took partial ownership of the NHL’S Phoenix Coyotes in 2000 and became majority owner in 2006. The team made the playoffs in 2001-02 but didn’t return until after Gretzky stepped down as coach in 2009 and wound up filing for bankruptcy.
-Nolan Ryan: Baseball’s all-time strikeout and no-hit king became president of the Texas Rangers in 2008, teamed with Chuck Greenberg to buy them from Tom Hicks in 2009 and became principle owner in 2011. The Rangers have been to the World Series each of the last two seasons.
-Joe Gibbs: He made his mark by coaching the Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl championships but also has won three NASCAR Sprint Cup titles — two with Tony Stewart as driver and one with Bobby Labonte — as a team owner.
-David Letterman: The Indianapolis-born late-night talk show host became co-owner of then-rahal Letterman Racing, and driver Buddy Rice won the 2004 Indianapolis 500.