With Nashville SC’s fourth MLS season in its early days, principal owner John Ingram announced Thursday that Nashville Predators (NHL) all-time leading scorer Filip Forsberg and two-time MVP and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo have joined the team’s ownership group.
Antetokounmpo is joined in ownership by his brothers Thanasis, Kostas and Alex – all of whom play professional basketball worldwide. Thanasis joined Giannis in winning the NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, and Kostas won one with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Forsberg and Antetokounmpo join a robust and diverse ownership group whose most recent additions include Reese Witherspoon, her husband Jim Toth, and Tennessee Titans (NFL) All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. Collectively, they contribute to one of MLS’s largest celebrity ownership groups.
“Nashville is the best sports city in the country, and I am extremely blessed to now be involved with two of our pro teams,” said Forsberg. “Our city is one big family and fanbase, and we support each other on and off the field. Nashville SC has been such a great addition to our sports culture, and joining the ownership group was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up. I grew up a Liverpool FC fan in Sweden, and after today I am happy to add a second set of colors to cheer for!”
“My father was a professional soccer player, and it was the first sport I fell in love with in Greece,” said Antetokounmpo. “I’ve always had the dream of owning a soccer team. When my brothers and I explored Nashville SC, we knew it was a team and a city that we wanted to get involved with. I couldn’t be more excited to join the Boys in Gold, and can’t wait to come to a match at GEODIS Park soon!”
Nashville SC are in their second season at GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the US and Canada (30,000 capacity), after debuting the venue in May 2022. In October 2021, the club also broke ground on their new training facility at Century Farms in Antioch, a 15-acre complex that includes three full-size soccer pitches and a state-of-the-art sports facility.
Later this spring, MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Huntsville City SC will debut as the club’s development and academy pipelines continue to grow.
“Soccer is a global sport, and our newest owners once again reinforce our club’s commitment to being a global team,” said Ingram. “Filip and Giannis are not just amazing athletes – they are ambassadors for their respective sports, role models for millions and advocates in their hometowns and worldwide. We share a common belief that our teams not only play to the highest standards, but also lift up their communities and help those who need it most.”
Nashville SC have made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs every year since joining the league in 2020, plus boasts reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP and Golden Boot presented by Audi winner Hany Mukhtar. Their other star is US men’s national team center back Walker Zimmerman, a two-time MLS Defender of the Year.
In last weekend’s season-opening 2-0 victory over New York City FC, Nashville debuted their “Man in Black” Kit collaboration with the Estate of Johnny Cash. To watch Nashville SC games, fans are encouraged to sign up for MLS Season Pass.
