José Bautista, a retired Major League Baseball All-Star, has finalized the purchase of the United Soccer League’s Las Vegas Lights FC, becoming the primary investor and taking on the roles of chairman and governor. The financial specifics of this deal were not made public.
Bautista, expressing his long-held aspiration of investing in sports teams, mentioned that the opportunity to invest in the Las Vegas Lights arose unexpectedly through a mutual acquaintance. He was drawn to the potential of the venture, especially given the burgeoning sports scene in Las Vegas.
This is not Bautista’s first foray into sports business. Previously, he was an early investor and board member for Marucci Sports, a baseball equipment company sold in 2020. His portfolio also includes investments in Canada Goose, a publicly traded Canadian outerwear brand; Endy Sleep, a Canadian e-commerce company focused on sleep products sold to Sleep Country in 2018; and a role as a partner and senior advisor to MyAccountant, a personal finance technology company based in Australia.
In addition to these ventures, Bautista has secured partnership agreements with several major brands, including Audi, Hublot, Coca-Cola, TD Bank, General Mills, The Players Tribune, and New Balance.
During his 14-year MLB career, Bautista played for eight teams, most notably spending nine seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was a six-time MLB All-Star from 2010-2015 and led the majors in home runs in 2010 and 2011, also winning the Hank Aaron Award in those years. He also clinched a bronze medal with the Dominican Republic at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
USL deputy CEO Justin Papadakis lauded Bautista’s vision and values, aligning with the league’s goals and the influence of its clubs in local communities. Bautista joins a growing list of elite athletes investing in USL clubs, indicating the league’s rising prominence in the sports industry.
USL president Paul McDonough remarked on Bautista’s competitive mindset, anticipating it will bring new standards for the club’s performance on and off the field.
Las Vegas Lights FC, which debuted in the USL Championship in 2018, is set to begin its 2024 season in March, with its first home game at Cashman Field scheduled against FC Tulsa.
