When Malcolm Jenkins Became A Minority Owner In England's Burnley FC, He Was The Only Active NFL Player To Have Stake In The EPL

When Malcolm Jenkins secured stake in England’s Burnley FC, he made history in the process.

Sports Illustrated reported the three-time Pro Bowl safety became an investor — through Malcolm INC and Disrupt Sports Partners —  in the Burnley, Lancashire-based professional team within the English Premier League (EPL) back in 2021. He joined the new ownership group, ALK Capital.

Jenkins, playing for the New Orleans Saints at the time, saw the opportunity as a perfect alignment to values that have been central to his business portfolio, noted a press release. He pointed to the club’s “tenacity, work ethic, good sportsmanship and efficient operational infrastructure.” His decision was finalized following a visit to the team’s Turf Moor stadium in England before watching the team, nicknamed “The Clarets,” play against Manchester City.

“I think the club’s doing a great job with some of the updates around the stadium and to see the vision of where they want to go in creating a venue that’s not only a great place to come and watch a game is really exciting,” Jenkins said per the news release.

Alan Pace, chairman of Burnley FC, commented at the time:

“Malcolm has a wealth of high-level experience, not only as an elite sportsman, but through his successful business and philanthropic enterprises. We’re thrilled to have him as part of our investment group and look forward to him helping our efforts to develop the club both on and off the pitch.”

Jenkins’ investment also meant he had become the only active NFL player at the time to have stake in the EPL, according to Sportico. Now retired since 2022, he recently reflected on the feat following another visit to Turf Moor in a statement shared on LinkedIn Oct. 6, 2024.

“It was great to be back at the Turf Moor for Burnley F.C.’s matchup with Preston!,” he expressed. “In October 2021, my company Malcolm Inc. became a minority investor in Burnley F.C. and it was a special moment for me, not just because I was excited to have an investment in a sports league but more so that I was setting an example to others that ownership is POSSIBLE. At the time, I was the first professional football player to have a minority stake in a Premier League franchise.”

Jenkins hopes to see more athletes follow suit, and this will be further enabled by new changes in the NFL that will allow private equity funds to invest in the league. Announced in August 2024, the NFL states 10% of team ownership can be controlled by private equity funds and a fund can invest in up to six teams.

Jenkins added, per LinkedIn, “In 2023, JJ Watt and his wife Kealia Watt became minority owners in Burnley as well. So many other athletes have followed suit. The future is bright as private equity opens the door for more pro athletes to become minority investors in sports teams/leagues. Just wait to see what I have in store next.”