Former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry is in negotiations to buy a controlling stake in the North Carolina Courage, Sportico reported today. A person with knowledge of the talks confirmed to The Athletic that Lasry is negotiating for majority ownership with current Courage owner Steve Malik. Per Sportico, Lasry is reportedly seeking a 60% stake in the team, currently valued a $108 million.
These negotiations come one year after the Courage went through a funding round last August that raised $15 million, with Sportico valuing the team at $66 million. Malik brought in five new investors last September to join a group that includes tennis players Naomi Osaka and Ons Jabeur.
Lasry previously attempted to bid on a controlling interest in Angel City FC. He sold his 25% stake in the Bucks to Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam last April in a deal valued at $3.5 billion and has been raising money for a dedicated sports investment fund as part of his global investment firm, Avenue Capital Group. Avenue Sports Fund includes input from several athletes, including former U.S. women’s national team midfielder Lauren Holiday.
The Courage has historically been a powerhouse in NWSL on the field, winning the national championship in 2018 and 2019. They also endured an extremely low point…
