Beyonce Reportedly Interested In Buying Houston Rockets NBA Franchise
International music superstar Beyonce is exploring the possibility of buying ownership in the Houston Rockets NBA franchise, according to Bloomberg News. Beyonce is a native of Houston, Texas. Leslie Alexander, the current owner of the Houston Rockets, surprisingly announced he will be selling the team in July of 2017. Alexander’s Rockets franchise is a globally popular franchise. Alexander purchased the Rockets for $85 million in 1993. Current valuation projections indicate the Houston Rockets will sell for $2 billion this time around.
The Houston Rockets are the preferred team of choice in China due in large part to Chinese native Yao Ming playing his entire NBA career for the team.
Beyonce’s husband, Shawn Carter (JAY-Z), was previously an owner of his hometown Brooklyn Nets. JAY-Z sold his ownership stake in the Brooklyn Nets upon founding Roc Nation, which has a sports management division that represents professional athletes, including NBA players.
Forbes Magazine lists Beyonce’s current net worth at $350 million. Beyonce’s husband JAY-Z’s net worth, meanwhile, is an estimated $810 million.
Alexander has owned the Rockets for 24 seasons. The Rockets captured two NBA championships under Alexander’s guidance in the 1990s. The storied franchise is headlined by superstars James Harden and Chris Paul.
Alexander released a statement, saying, “I’ve made this decision after much deliberation with my family and friends, and do so knowing the franchise is in great shape with the players, coaches and management team in place. CEO Tad Brown will oversee the sales process with the league office, supported by my management team.”
The unexpected sale of the Rockets has garnered interest from suitors around the world.
Beyonce being a part of new ownership would be a boon for the NBA and Houston Rockets. Beyonce has been seen courtside at NBA games on regular occasions. The multi-platinum recording artist boasts 105 million followers on Instagram alone. In 2015, Forbes Magazine named Beyonce the most powerful female in entertainment.
The Houston Rockets acquired NBA All-Star Chris Paul this offseason to team up with perennial MVP candidate James Harden. The Houston Rockets also signed Zhou Qi, who is a seven-foot-one Chinese national. The Rockets are expected to be a serious threat to dethrone the defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, this upcoming season.
According to the Celebrity DBI, Beyonce is one of the most effective celebrities in the world at impacting teenage females between the ages of 13 and 17 globally. Celebrity DBI quantifies the impact of celebrities on the global marketplace.
According to Bloomberg News, both the Houston Rockets and Beyonce have declined to comment on her intentions to purchase ownership in the franchise. Presently, there is no announced timetable for the sale of the NBA franchise.
[Featured Image by Darron Cummings/AP Images]
