Derrick Henry Becomes Part-Owner Of Soccer Team

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Athletes across an array of sports are stepping into franchise ownership and the latest star to do so is football player Derrick Henry. The Tennessee Titans running back is now part-owner of Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC team.

The soccer squad began competing in the league in 2020. It’s an extension of the soccer team—which has the same moniker⁠—that was part of the USL club. Nashville SC’s inaugural game against Atlanta United FC in February 2020 was monumental as it marked the highest attended soccer game in Tennessee state’s history.

Henry—who is now the fourth-ever NFL player to become an owner of a soccer franchise—says investing in the Nashville SC is a dream realized. “As a kid growing up in Florida, I imagined being a professional sports owner and the opportunity to do that with a Major League Soccer club is truly a dream come true,” he shared in a statement. “My investment in Nashville SC is way more than financial, it’s truly an investment in the city of Nashville. The chance to be part of a club like Nashville SC, especially after seeing what they are accomplishing in the community, was an opportunity I did not want to miss.”

Henry joins the ownership group alongside Tennessee-bred actress Reese Witherspoon and tech and media venture capitalist Jim Toth. John Ingram—who is the principal owner of the Nashville SC franchise—says the investments go beyond sports and illustrate a true commitment to the city as a whole. “We meant it when we said we were doing this in Nashville, with Nashville and for Nashville,” he shared. “Having Derrick, Reese and Jim join our group signals our commitment to being a club that is going to do things at the highest level and with the best Nashville has to offer.”

News about Henry’s ownership move comes after it was announced retired NFL star Marshawn Lynch became part-owner of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken team.