China hoops legend Stephon Marbury buys Beijing sports franchise … but it’s not a basketball team
The former NBA star and Beijing Ducks icon takes ownership of American football team in fledgling Chinese league
Former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury will purchase the Beijing franchise of a fledgling American-football arena league, the league announced on Friday.
Marbury, who has starred in the Chinese Basketball Association since 2010 for several teams before settling in recent years in Beijing, has already announced that the coming season will be his last on the hard court.
The China Arena Football League (CAFL), which bills itself as the country’s first professional American football league, said in a statement that Marbury, 40, has agreed to take ownership of the team as the first step in a next-stage career as a sports executive.
The CAFL’s website lists the Beijing Lions as its franchise in the capital.
“One day he intends to buy an NBA team or maybe an NFL team. A CAFL team in Beijing is a natural fit for Mr. Marbury,” the statement quoted Gustavus Bass, Marbury’s business manager, as saying.
“This acquisition demonstrates his commitment to his second home and sports in Beijing. He wants to be a part of the sports scene in Beijing for a long time.”