All
Members
Companies
Blog
Forums
Podcast
Webinars
    User Log in  /  Sign up
  • Forums
    Newest Posts Trending Discussions Followed Forums Real Estate News & Current Events General Landlording & Rental Properties Buying & Selling Real Estate Deal Analysis See All
  • Education

    Read

    BiggerPockets Blog BPInsights: Expert Analysis Coronavirus Content & Resources Guides Glossary Reviews Member Blogs

    Watch

    Webinars Video Library Financial Independence Blueprint Intro to Real Estate: Rentals

    Listen

    BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast BiggerPockets Money Podcast BiggerPockets Business Podcast Real Estate Rookie Podcast Daily Podcast (Audio Blog)

    Topics

    Business Operations Finance Finding Deals Property Management Property Types Strategy
  • Network

    Recommended Vendors

    Real Estate Agents Mortgage Lenders Companies Hard Money Lenders Contractors Investment Companies

    Search

    Members Events Jobs
  • Tools

    Calculators

    Rental Property Fix and Flip BRRRR Rehab Estimator
    Wholesaling Mortgage Payment 70% Rule Airbnb

    Services

    BPInsights: Property Insights Tenant Screening Property Management Lease Agreement Packages

    New Feature

    BPInsights (beta)

    Quickly analyze a property address or ZIP Code to compare your rent in your neighborhood.

    Analyze a property
  • Find Deals
    Real Estate Listings Find Foreclosures External Link Ads, Jobs, and Other
  • Bookstore

    Real Estate Books

    Profit Like The Pros Bidding to Buy See all books

    Featured Book

    BiggerPockets Wealth Magazine book cover
    BiggerPockets Wealth Magazine

    Written by financial journalists and data scientists, get 60+ pages of newsworthy content, expert-driven advice, and data-backed research written in a clear way to help you navigate your tough investment decisions in an ever-changing financial climate! Subscribe today and get the Oct/Nov issue delivered to your door!

    Get the Magazine
  • Pricing
Log In Sign up
User
Quick search links
Podcast Hard Money Lenders Books Washington
BlogArrowBusiness ManagementArrow6 Sports Stars Who Are Crushing It in Business & Real Estate
Business Management

6 Sports Stars Who Are Crushing It in Business & Real Estate

Philip Michael
Expertise: Personal Development, Real Estate News & Commentary, Real Estate Investing Basics
47 Articles Written

It’s common perception that cash-rich athletes go broke shortly after their careers are over — and it’s not necessarily an unfair one, either.

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, within two years of retiring, 78 percent of NFL players go broke, bankrupt, or both. And these are guys who were making an average of $1.9 million a year.

But there’s a select list of athletes who actually have gone out and created real opportunities — not just endorsements and figurehead roles — to set up life after sports.

Here are 6 sports stars making big plays in the boardroom.

6 Sports Stars Who Are Crushing It in Business & Real Estate

1. Kobe Bryant

I believe in innovation that will help athletes train and perform at their best. Finally we have a product that is THE UPGRADE athletes have been silently demanding for years! @drinkbodyarmor #entrepreneur #TasteRevolution #UpgradeYourSportsDrink

A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Mar 23, 2014 at 9:37pm PDT

Sport: Basketball
Business: Investments
Known for: being a five-time NBA champion

One of the fiercest competitors on the basketball court, former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant announced a $100 million venture capital fund last year to invest in media, tech, and data — and he wants his business career to dwarf his on-court accomplishments.

“I got tired of telling people I loved business as much as I did basketball, because people would look at me like I had three heads,” Bryant said. “But I do.”

And in true Kobe fashion, the “Black Mamba” already scored 13 deals before going public with the venture. (He says there’s nothing to talk about until they make returns on deals.)

And get this: As a secret partner for ad firm Zambezi, Bryant was creating ads for Vitamin Water during the NBA Finals while playing in said Finals. “I wrote that s—,” Bryant said last week.

Related: I Quit My Day Job, Retired Early & Started a New Venture Using Real Estate: Here’s How

2. Will Shields

Sport: Football
Business: Fitness franchise
Known for: The most NFL all-star appearances in history

The NFL Hall of Famer set a series of records during his 1993–2006 run with the Kansas City Chiefs, including a 12 consecutive Pro Bowl — tops for most played Pro Bowl in NFL history.

Since retiring in ’06, the 2003 NFL Man of the Year Award winner has launched his own franchise, 68’s Inside Sports, a fitness and training center in Kansas City. Shields bought it a year after retiring and renamed it with his jersey number. The center setup mirrors the Chief’s facility at the Arrowhead in downtown Kansas City.

And unlike most athletes, he’s actually managed to keep his money — which is rare in today’s day and age.

3. Martin Braithwaite

Morning tea! #views #grateful

A post shared by Martin Braithwaite (@braithwaite_no1) on Oct 8, 2017 at 1:57am PDT

Sport: Soccer
Business: Real estate; venture capital
Known for: Donating money every time he scores a goal

The Danish soccer ace made waves in Europe, becoming the first Dane to captain a squad in the French Ligue 1. A natural negotiator, Braithwaite secured his own deal directly with the team owner, earning him the richest contract in Toulouse Football Club’s history.

As a real estate investor, Braithwaite cut his first deal last year, picking up an old castle for $2 million, which he then converted to a mixed-use office-residential space.

He’s since stepped into the U.S. real estate space (yes, I’m biased) and is currently doing a 16-unit mixed-use development in Philadelphia.

Like Bryant, Braithwaite has an obsessive temperament that lends itself well to business.
“I want to win in anything I do, but I want my business career to define me far more than my sports career,” he says. “A sports career is short-lived and is uncertain. Business, real estate, legacy, passing it down to your children, that goes on for generations long after I’m gone.”

4. Emmitt Smith

Don't forget to tune into #AFootballLife 🏈on @nflnetwork tonight at 9 PM ET.

A post shared by Emmitt Smith (@emmittsmith22) on Sep 22, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

Sport: Football
Business: Real estate development & lending; construction
Known for: Being the NFL’s all-time leading rusher

Back in 2016, I edited an interview with Emmitt Smith, thinking he was the standard superstar athlete who was simply lending his face to a brand. But in reality, the NFL Hall of Famer is out in the trenches cutting deals.

"I bought about four Walgreens at about a 7.5 percent to 8 percent cap rate, and I sold them at a 6.8 percent cap right before the market turned," Smith said in 2016 of his first deal. "It wasn't a huge spread, but at the end of the day there was enough to where I made a little bit of money and saw how the process worked."

He's since built and sold more than a thousand multifamily units in one market alone. Not too shabby for a guy in a field where most of his peers go broke within a few years.

“I’m more than just a former athlete or a Dancing With The Stars guy,” he said in that interview. “The sky is not the limit for any athlete or any person, so why would I put any limits on myself?”

Related: How to Retire in 3 Years Through Real Estate Investing

5. Paul Malignaggi

A big thanks to @wbcmoro @wbcboxing for having me host the 55th annual WBC convention in the great country of #Azerbaijan. Appreciate all of the hospitality.

A post shared by Paul Malignaggi (@paulmalignaggi) on Oct 7, 2017 at 12:41pm PDT

Sport: Boxing
Business: Real estate; clothing; auto shop
Known for: Being a two-time world champion; Showtime Sports TV host; Showtime podcast host

Two-time world champion and award-winning Showtime Sports analyst Paulie Malignaggi is best-known in pop culture for his beef with Conor McGregor over a sparring session gone wrong.

Outside that mishap, “Magic Man” Malignaggi has managed to amass quite the business portfolio for himself.

According to the New York Post, Malignaggi owns “numerous real estate holdings” in New York and Miami, founded the clothing line Future Legend, and also runs Magic Man Customs, an auto body shop in Brooklyn.

“I’m not complaining. I’ve made a very good living from boxing, better than any living I possibly could have done,” he said. “Having said that, you don’t live the rest of your life off the money you make in boxing. You still have to create positive forms of income.

“Money can make money if you’re intelligent about it and don’t waste it the wrong way.”

Since that story broke, Malignaggi tells us he’s made out well from the restaurant business, including a pizzeria in New Jersey and a restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side where he made a nice score. “I also play the stock market,” he says. “I try to disperse my investments so that I’m not placing all my risk into one spot so to speak.”

Even though he’s been retired for close to a year, he’s shrewdly positioned himself for a $10+ million payday to face McGregor in a boxing ring in March, including a possible return match in the UFC.

Not bad for a retired guy.

6. Joe Montana

TODAY I will be signing autographs & taking pictures with fans in #LasVegas @FODVenetian & @FODCaesars! Info: https://t.co/NoWfOVPYAi pic.twitter.com/LblTRoUHIa

Want more articles like this?

Create an account today to get BiggerPocket's best blog articles delivered to your inbox

Sign up for free

— Joseph Montana (@JoeMontana) August 25, 2017

Sport: Football
Business: Real estate development
Known for: Four-time Super Bowl champion

Arguably the best quarterback of all time, Joe Montana’s NFL credentials speak for themselves: Four Super Bowl trophies with the San Francisco 49ers.

Montana was the first player to win three Super Bowl MVPs. Toward the tail end of his career he somehow almost led the Kansas City Chiefs (along with fellow Hall of Famer, Shields) to the Super Bowl in 1993.

Today, Montana heads his own development, the Montana Property Group, which has invested in big projects in the San Francisco area.

His trophy development, Santa Clara Centennial Gateway, is a $400 million, nine-acre, 5.2-million-square-foot luxury hotel, office, and entertainment complex near the 49ers stadium.

Which sports stars do you admire for their business savvy? Let me know in the comments below! 

By Philip Michael
Philip Michael is an entrepreneur, real estate developer, media personality, and bestselling author. He's the chairman of NYCE Cos., a real estate development and tech holding company. Philip recen...
Read more
Philip Michael is an entrepreneur, real estate developer, media personality, and bestselling author. He's the chairman of NYCE Cos., a real estate development and tech holding company. Philip recently filed for a $50M real estate IPO, dedicated to creating 100,000+ new millionaires—a story Forbes broke. The NYCE portfolio includes NYEG, its real estate management arm, wealthlab.co, a financial/lifestyle media brand, and VentureLAB, an early-stage venture capital arm. You can contact Philip on instagram.com/YFWTB.
Read Less
8 Replies
    Robert Wilson Real Estate Agent from Tampa, Florida
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Vincent Jackson is doing buy and flip deals in the Tampa market… good guy, smart guy. Joe Montana…. may have been the GOAT… but you know Tom Brady is now.
    Mark S. Investor from Pelham, New Hampshire
    Replied about 3 years ago
    I second your comment about Brady going the GOAT. Brady could also be considered a business guru, with his TB12 brand. He also has some real estate history, having flipped his Brentwood, CA property after purchasing it for $11.7 million and selling a few years later for $40 million.

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
    Mark S. Investor from Pelham, New Hampshire
    Replied about 3 years ago
    I second your comment about Brady going the GOAT. Brady could also be considered a business guru, with his TB12 brand. He also has some real estate history, having flipped his Brentwood, CA property after purchasing it for $11.7 million and selling a few years later for $40 million.
    Andrew Jurinka Rental Property Investor from Portland, OR
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Cheating and GOAT don’t go together. Sorry, he’s never going to shake his need for a properly inflated football.

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
    Bradly
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Roger Staughbach has had a hugely successful real estate career after football as well.

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
    Ron Hall Investor from Joplin, Missouri
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Dude, this is a real estate site and you forgot Cowboys great Roger Staubach. That cat’s net worth is probably close to a billion.

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
    Cassandra Davis Lender from Lake Elsinore, CA
    Replied about 3 years ago
    I love this. My son was a highly recruited D-1 college recruit who was presumably headed to the NFL a few years back. But a shoulder injury and a Coach/Administration upheaval changed that trajectory seemingly overnight. He stayed the course and graduated from Fresno State w/a Degree in Business w/an emphasis on Entrepreneurship. Even after graduation, he toyed w/the idea of pursuing football, and was actually being courted by two agents. Thankfully, his heart wasn’t in it. He’s now pursuing his Real Estate License, while working toward his PHd in Speech Pathology. I’m sending him this article…

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
    Karl B. Rental Property Investor from Columbia, MO
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Steelers great John Stallworth has to be mentioned. He founded a defense company – Madison Research – which he sold for $69,000,000 back in 2006.

    Report Abuse

    Why are you reporting this?

    Additional Comments (optional)

    Cancel
Rotate Log in or sign up to comment

Related Blog Posts

Business Management Jan 03, 2021

5 Extreme Methods I Use to Save Time in My Workday

By Engelo Rumora

Time is your most valuable asset, and you have to invest it wisely. Because of this, I’ve come up with five extreme ways to protect my time.

Read more →

Business Management Dec 30, 2020

Gather Your Dream Team: Must-Have Real Estate Team Members

By Sterling White

There are key roles every property management operation needs to have covered. Here are a few indispensable members I have on my team.

Read more →

Business Management Dec 17, 2020

The (Brutal) Truth About Why You Can’t Find a Partner

By Brandon Turner

If you are having trouble finding a partner, there’s likely one of these three things going on. And there’s a solution.

Read more →

Business Management Dec 15, 2020

LLC vs. S Corporation: Which Is Better for Real Estate?

By Scott Smith

This quick guide will help you decide whether an S corp or series LLC is the best business structure for your real estate investment business.

Read more →
Log in Sign up

Log in

Forgot password?

If you signed up for BiggerPockets via Facebook, you can log in with just one click!

Log in with Facebook

Or
btn_google_dark_normal_ios Created with Sketch. Continue with Google

Let's get started

We just need a few details to get you set up and ready to go!

Use your real name

Use at least 8 characters. Using a phrase of random words (like: paper Dog team blue) is secure and easy to remember.

By signing up, you indicate that you agree to the BiggerPockets Terms & Conditions.

Or
btn_google_dark_normal_ios Created with Sketch. Continue with Google

Why create an account?

Receive a free digital download of The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing.

Connect with 1,000,000+ real estate investors!

Find local real estate meetups and events in your area.

Start analyzing real estate properties, we do the math for you.

It's free!

Explore

  • Membership
  • Community
  • Education
  • Marketplace
  • Tools
  • FilePlace
  • REI Resources
  • Perks
  • Glossary
  • Reviews
  • iOS App
  • Android App

Company

  • About Us
  • Press
  • Advertising
  • Careers
  • Stats
  • Contact Us

Important

  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Terms of Use
  • Rules
  • Privacy
  • FAQ

Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
© 2004-2021 BiggerPockets, LLC. All Rights Reserved.