Dexter Fowler is the latest major US sports star to enter the Premier League.

LeBron James, Ryan Reynolds, Tom Brady and JJ Watt have already paved this path.

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Reynolds and Rob McElhenney own Wrexham, The King owns a stake in Liverpool, Brady has bought into Birmingham City and Watt is an investor in Burnley.

Fowler, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who played for the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels, now joins that illustrious list as part of the AFC Bournemouth ownership group led by billionaire businessman Bill Foley.

According to Sportico, Foley, who also owns the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL, took Fowler under his wing to give him an insight into the business world.

The 2016 World Series winner sits on the board of marketing firm System1 Inc., which was formed after the merger with Foley’s SPAC Trebia Acquisitions Corp.

Foley took over the Premier League club in December 2022 and the sports business portal recently learned that former MLB All-Star Fowler is part of the south coast team’s ownership group.

Creed and Black Panther actor Michael B. Jordan is also part of the minority ownership group of Vitality Stadium.

In 2023, AFC Bournemouth was valued at $145 million – the lowest of any Premier League club and well below the average of $1.51 billion.

Fowler earned more than $100 million during his 14-year playing career before retiring in 2021.

In 2017, he signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, including a $10 million signing bonus and an average annual salary of $16.5 million.

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He is one of many figures at Bournemouth pushing to make the club a “global company” with major American interest.

The signing of USMNT captain Tyler Adams – who is currently out with injury – should add to the US team’s appeal, as should the team’s recent US preseason tour.

Since retiring from Major League Baseball, Fowler, 38, has built his business portfolio with his own production company (Fowlball Productions) and management firm (400 Ventures).

He made his first forays into club ownership by purchasing a stake in Foley’s smaller French club, Lorient FC.

“You have to crawl before you can walk,” Fowler said. “I’m a big proponent of being in the right spaces, learning from the right people and going from there.”

“It’s more a matter of passion. I’m just trying to gain some experience and get to know the business.”

Bournemouth was one of nine Premier League teams with American participation on the opening weekend of the 2024–25 Premier League season.

The list also includes Arsenal (Stan Kroenke), Aston Villa (Wes Edens), Chelsea (Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital), Crystal Palace (John Textor, Josh Harris, David Blitzer), Fulham (Shahid Khan), Ipswich Town (ORG, BPSP and Avenue Sports), Liverpool (Fenway Sports Group) and Manchester United (Glazer Family).

American billionaires are undoubtedly attracted to the global reach of Premier League clubs. With the 2026 World Cup being played primarily in the United States, clubs are increasingly expanding into the lucrative US market.

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Sports franchises are apparently the new multimillion-dollar yachts for wealthy business tycoons and athletes.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly interested in buying one of America’s most famous teams, while NBA superstar Kevin Durant has just become a minority shareholder in Paris Saint-Germain.

“BREAKING NEWS: Two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant has invested in Paris Saint-Germain through his Boardroom Sports Holdings, LLC through Arctos Partners, the club’s strategic minority investor,” Boardroom tweeted.

Durant, who recently helped the US basketball team win the Olympics, invested “several million dollars of his own money” to acquire a stake in PSG, according to ESPN.

The Slim Reaper’s career earnings on the court exceed $395 million, while PSG’s value is estimated at $4.4 billion.