Former NBA star Grant Hill is looking to become an owner in a new league.
Hill, who currently is a team owner of the Orlando City Soccer Club and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Orlando Pride in Florida alongside his wife, Tamia, has joined an ownership group to purchase MLB’s Baltimore Orioles, ESPN reports.
The group is led by billionaires David Rubenstein and Mike Arougheti and also includes baseball Hall of Famer and former Orioles player Cal Ripken Jr., former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Baltimore, MD, mayor Kurt Schmoke, and entrepreneur Michele Kang.
According to a news release, the transaction was approved by majority owners, the Angelos family, as they agreed to sell their controlling stake in the team for $1.73 billion. Club Chairman John Angelos will remain as a senior adviser, per ESPN.
NEWS: The Baltimore Orioles are being sold to a group led by billionaire David Rubenstein for $1.725 billion.
The investors include Orioles legend Cal Ripken, Jr., Mike Bloomberg and NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill. pic.twitter.com/e6x4AmfCpW
— Matt Egan (@MattEganCNN) January 31, 2024
“I am personally committed to helping David and his partners take the franchise to the next level,” John Angelos said, according to ESPN. “We think this transaction is great for Major League Baseball and great for the city of Baltimore and Maryland. We are thankful to the fans and supporters cheering on the O’s as we reached this important goal — and who will be with us celebrating more success to come.”
Ripken added his enthusiasm for the agreement as well. “I am excited to once again be a part of the Orioles organization and I thank David for including me in the ownership group,” he said, per the outlet. “The Orioles have been a part of my life since I was a child, and this is a special day.”
Rubenstein commented, “I am grateful to the Angelos family for the opportunity to join the team I have been a fan of my entire life. I look forward to working with all the Orioles owners, players and staff to build upon the incredible success the team has achieved in recent seasons. Our collective goal will be to bring a World Series trophy back to the city of Baltimore. To the fans I say: ‘We do it for you and can’t do it without you.'”