Samantha Ruth Prabhu has made her name as a sports entrepreneur as she announced her ownership of the Chennai franchise of the World Pickle Ball League. Samantha made this announcement official on her Instagram handle by posting a picture of herself and Gaurav Natekar from the launch event along with the caption, "Exciting News! I am thrilled to partner with the @worldpickleballofficial and come on board as the owner of the Chennai Franchise. Pickleball fever sweeps India. It's time to get moving India "
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During an interaction with Mint at the launch event held in Mumbai, Samantha was quoted saying, "Through this investment in the World Pickleball League, I hope to help make sports more accessible, enjoyable, and appealing-particularly to young people. There's a strong connection between sports and personal growth, and I believe in the long-term benefits that investing in sports can bring to society."
In sync with Samantha becoming the newest owner of a sports franchise in India, here is a line-up of Indian celebrities who own sports franchises.
1. Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan
Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan own the Kolkata team of the Indian Street Premier League since January 2024. The league claims to be India's pioneering tennis ball T10 cricket tournament to be played inside a stadium premises. This move was in line with his Pataudi legacy and cricket running in the blood.
2. Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is the owner of not one, but two sports franchises; including the Jaipur Pink Panthers team in the Pro Kabaddi franchise. He also co-purchased the Chennayin FC football team of the Indian Super League. His Jaipur Pink Panthers won the first ever championships of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 and Chennayin FC also won the ISL 2015 and 2018 editions solidifying Abhishek's position as a sports entrepreneur.
3. Preity Zinta
Preity Zinta is one of India's first celebrity sports team owners. She co-bought the Punjab Kings team in the Indian Premier League. Originally called the Kings XI Punjab, the franchise was renamed in the year 2021 to its current nomenclature. Currently, the team is jointly owned by Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta, Karan Paul and Mohit Burman. When it was originally bought in 2008, the team was owned by Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta in a 2:1:1 ratio and currently has an estimated value of 925 million US dollars.
4. Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla
Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment and Juhi Chawla with her husband Jay Mehta all co-own the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise of the Indian Premier League. It is a professional cricket team that represents Kolkata in the IPL tournaments since 2008. At the time, it was bought at a value of $75.09 million and has currently soared to $16.4 billion in 2024, after them becoming champions. What's more, Shah Rukh Khan owns a majority share of 55 percent in the team which earns him approximately INR 70 to 80 crores per year.
From Samantha owning the Chennai franchise of the World Pickle Ball League to Shah Rukh Khan iconically owning the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. It is an exciting time for Indian celebrities and sports indeed.
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