Macklemore and Marshawn Lynch are now minority owners of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, which was announced on Monday (April 18). The amount of their investment has not been made public, although similar minority equity stake deals are generally for 1% of a team or less.
Marshawn reacted to the news in a statement, "This is something I never would have imagined. I always dreamed of playing on a professional team but owning one is something special. As I look back on some of my accomplishments — I retired before I was 30 and now being an owner of a professional club at the age of 35 – I'm gonna continue to count my blessings."
Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke revealed that Macklemore and Marshawn expressed interest in the team last summer. Leiweke told MSNBC, "For us, we didn’t need additional investors, but the thing that attracted us to these guys was their interest in community activism through this organization, and that’s a big deal."
Macklemore, who Leiweke said will "add value to the game day experience" with his musical background, also commented on the deal. He stated, "I'm a big hockey fan and have watched the team come to life and the fan base grow over the last four years, plus I have so many memories of playing the now-Climate Pledge Arena that this investment was a natural one."
