Melinda French Gates Takes Minority Stake in Seattle Kraken, Signaling Broader Sports Investment Strategy
By
Laura Zelenko, Jacqueline Simmons
A second-rack bagel that's nearly first-rack. Tasty stuff.
Summary
Melinda French Gates has acquired a minority ownership stake in the Seattle Kraken's parent company, One Roof Sports and Entertainment (pending NHL approval). While on the surface this is an investment in a men's professional hockey team, the move carries deeper significance for women and the business of sports, especially as the 2026 World Cup approaches in the US. The article positions this as a signal beyond a simple sports investment.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMelinda French Gates, the billionaire philanthropist, investor and global advocate for women and children, added her name to the ranks of the super rich who own a piece of professional sports.
But her investment signals a lot more than that and holds special meaning for women and the business of sports just as the 2026 World Cup gets underway in the US.
In the most basic telling, the move last week gave her a stake in a men's hockey team — the Seattle Kraken — via minority ownership in the parent, One Roof Sports and Entertainment (pending NHL approval).
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