BTS' SUGA investing in MLB team after taking over basketball? All we know about plans for The Athletics involvement
Back in April 2023, the NBA officially named SUGA as a new ambassador for the remainder of the 2022/23 season. He's always known for his long-standing love of basketball. Now, it seems he's taking his passion for sports even further. The unexpected partnership has caught both sports and entertainment industries by surprise. It signals a bold new chapter for SUGA as he takes on a behind-the-scenes role in one of America's most historic baseball franchises.
Investing in the future of Las Vegas baseball
The Athletics, once based in Oakland since 1968, recently broke ground on a brand-new stadium in Las Vegas. It is set to open by 2028. The total construction cost is projected at 1.75 billion USD. The team is actively working to secure funding through new shareholders and private equity investment.
Enter Team 61, a sports management agency founded by Park Chan Ho, the first South Korean to play in the MLB. The agency is reportedly leading a 70 million USD investment into The Athletics' stadium development by setting up a private equity fund. This fund will purchase around 2–3% of newly issued shares in the team.
SUGA among star-studded list of investors
Joining Park Chan Ho as co-investors are several high-profile names, including:
SUGA (BTS)
Lee Man Deuk, President of Samchully Co., Ltd.
Mike Joo, COO of Bank of America Merrill Lynch's investment division
This marks a rare crossover between global K-pop fame and American professional sports. It positions SUGA as one of the few Korean entertainers with a financial stake in a U.S. sports franchise.
A new image for The Athletics?
Despite its legacy, with 9 World Series titles since its founding in 1901, The Athletics has struggled in recent years. The team has faced challenges both competitively and financially. The move to Las Vegas is seen as a much-needed reset. And with it, comes a new roster of influential backers hoping to restore the team's image and relevance.
Park Chan Ho's involvement has already raised hopes for potential Korean talent recruitment in the MLB. Meanwhile, SUGA's global star power could pave the way for international fan engagement and brand collaborations.
What's next for SUGA and The Athletics?
Neither SUGA nor Park Chan Ho have officially commented on their roles as investors. But fans and industry watchers are buzzing with speculation. Could this lead to K-pop-themed promotions, or even sports-culture crossover content? Will Park play a hands-on role in team strategy or scouting?
With music charts conquered and world tours under his belt, SUGA is now stepping onto an entirely different field. And the pitch is just getting started!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump may impose unilateral tariff rates starting Friday
US President Donald Trump said that his administration may begin sending out letters to trading partners as soon as Friday setting unilateral tariff rates ahead of a July 9 deadline for negotiations. The president on Tuesday said he was not considering delaying next week's deadline.(AFP) 'We're probably going to be sending some letters out, starting probably tomorrow, maybe 10 a day to various countries saying what they're going to pay to do business with the US,' Trump told reporters on Thursday as he left Washington for an event in Iowa. Trump has long threatened that if countries fail to reach deals with the US before next week's deadline, he would simply impose rates on them, raising the stakes for trading partners who have rushed to secure agreements with his administration. The US president initially announced his higher so-called 'reciprocal' tariffs on April 2, but paused those for 90 days to allow countries time to negotiate, putting in place a 10% rate during that interval. So far, the Trump administration has announced deals with the UK and Vietnam and agreed to a truce with China that saw the world's two largest economies ease tit-for-tat tariffs. Asked Thursday if more deals were on the way, Trump responded that 'we have a couple of other deals, but you know, my inclination is to send a letter out and say what tariffs they are going to be paying.' 'It's much easier,' he said. Trump announced the Vietnam deal on Wednesday, saying that the US would place a 20% tariff on Vietnamese exports to the US and a 40% rate on goods deemed transshipped through the nation — a reference to the practice whereby components from China and possibly other nations are routed through third countries on their way to the US. While the rates are lower than the 46% duty Trump imposed on Vietnam initially, they are higher than the universal 10% level. And many of the particulars of the deal are still unclear, with the White House yet to release a term sheet or publish any proclamation codifying the agreement. Still, investors who have eagerly anticipated any deals between the US and trading partners were buoyed Wednesday by the Vietnam announcement, which saw share prices of American manufacturers with facilities in the country rise. Many major trading partners, however, such as Japan, South Korea and the European Union, are still working to finalize deals. The president has expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with India but has spoken harshly about the prospects of an accord with Japan, casting Tokyo as a difficult negotiating partner. He intensified his criticism this week, saying that Japan should be forced to 'pay 30%, 35% or whatever the number is that we determine.' The president on Tuesday also said he was not considering delaying next week's deadline. Asked about any potential extension of talks, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier Thursday that Trump would make the final call. 'We're going to do what the president wants, and he'll be the one to determine whether they're negotiating in good faith,' Bessent said on CNBC when asked whether the deadline might be lengthened.
Hindustan Times
34 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Gukesh outwits Carlsen; leads Super United rapid and blitz
Zagreb , World champion D Gukesh let his moves do the talking as he scored another impressive win over world number one Magnus Carlsen to grab the sole lead after six rounds of the Super United Rapid and blitz chess tournament here. Gukesh outwits Carlsen; leads Super United rapid and blitz Counting the opening day victories, the win against Carlsen late on Thursday was Gukesh's fifth consecutive triumph in the tournament and took him to 10 points out of a possible 12. With just three rounds to come in rapid section, Gukesh enjoys two points lead over nearest rival Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland. Wesley So of United States is in sole third spot on seven points, a full point clear of Carlsen, Anish Giri of Holland and local hero Ivan Saric. R Praggnanandhaa shares the seventh spot on five points with American Fabiano Caruana, while Alireza Firouzja of France is in ninth spot on four points. Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan is 10th on just three points. Carlsen has never minced his words and has been a critic of Gukesh in the faster version of the game. The World number one had infamously banged the table after his previous loss to Gukesh in the Norway chess tournament. That was the Indian's first victory over the world number one in Classical chess. The victory as black was sweet for Gukesh. Carlsen enjoyed some optical advantage after his king pawn opening but the day belonged to Gukesh who found the perfect counter play. At some point Carlsen had to part with two minor pieces for a rook and a couple of extra pawns that looked menacing. However, Gukesh calmly exploited Carlsen's bad plan with the clock ticking away and the famous victory was scored after 49 moves. Earlier in the day, Gukesh had beaten Abdusattorov and Caruana with some fine efforts. Praggnanandhaa's search for an elusive victory continued as he played out three draws with Caruana, Carlsen and Giri. Praggnanandhaa will need some victories on the final day to make a comeback in the tournament. Standings after round 6: 1. D Gukesh ; 2. Duda Jan-Krzysztof ; 3. Wesley So ; 4-6: Ivan Saric ; Magnus Carlsen ; Anish Giri 6 each; 7-8; Fabiano Caruana ; R Praggnanandhaa 2 each. 9. Alireza Firouzja ; 10. Nodirbek Abdusattorov . This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
How Trump's ‘Big Beautiful Bill' affects Indians: From sending money to making investments, and crossing borders
After the US Congress cleared President Donald Trump's massive legislation about government spending, focus is now on its impact not only in the US but on the world. For India, one of the most visible and direct impacts will be on remittances, that is, the money sent to or invested in India by NRIs. Migration is also in focus. US President Donald Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington earlier this year.(Reuters/File) Since the 900-page details of what Trump has named 'One Big Beautiful Bill' are now in, let's break down the immediate impact on Indians. Charges on sending money home The originally proposed 5 per cent tax on remittances sent from US to foreign countries was slashed to just 1 per cent in the final draft, which has now passed. There are about 4.5 million or 45 lakh Indian citizens or persons of Indian origin in the US, many of them big earners for families back in India. 'US bank and card-based remittances remain exempt, but NRIs who make high-value or recurrent transfers may need to reconsider their financial plans,' Ram Naik, co-founder and director, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory, told HT. This comes into affect from January 1, 2026. Tax on foreign income While the bill deals with a humungous number of things – some of which even led to fights between Trump and his ex-BFF Elon Musk – there are no changes to the existing rules on foreign-source rental income earned by US residents, including NRIs holding a green card or US citizenship. 'Such income will continue to be taxed under current law,' says Sandeep Bhalla, Partner, Dhruva Advisors, a tax and regulatory advisory services firm. This means tax paid in India can be claimed as tax credit in the US, as before, to avoid double taxation on the same income. Border crackdown Immigrants from India, especially undocumented border-crossers and those who take the 'donkey route', are not immune to the crackdown proposed in Trump's bill. It gives about billions of additional funds towards immigration-control and national security efforts, in line with Trump's pledge to carry out the 'largest mass deportation operation in American history.' The US is reported to have identified about 18,000 Indian nationals who entered illegally. The Indian government has said it would take back these people and break the "human trafficking ecosystem". Unauthorised immigrants make up 3% of the US population, as per research cited by the BBC. The number of Indians among them is contested, however: estimates vary from 2.2 lakh as per US government data, to 7 lakh as per the Pew Research Center, making them the third-largest group after Mexico and El Salvador. Yet Indians make up only a small share of the overall unauthorised migrant population in the US. A 2025 Johns Hopkins University research paper essentially says illegal Indian population in the US grew in numbers and as a percentage of total unauthorised migrants: from 0.8% in 1990 to 3.9% in 2015, before dropping to 2% in 2022 as per latest data available. Fees for applications Trump's bill raises the costs for those trying to stay in the US legally too. Bloomberg reported that the bill increases the fees for work permits, asylum applications and other humanitarian protections. Cuts to Medicaid and other government safety-net programmes will also impact immigrants and low-income groups. Fees include a minimum $100 to apply for asylum, $550 for employee authorisation applications, $500 for Temporary Protected Status and $1,000 for humanitarian parole. There is to be a fine of $5,000 for anyone caught crossing the border between ports of entry. There are to be no fee waivers for low-income applicants either. These appear to be some of the immediate impacts, while medium- and long-term effects in Indians and the Indian economy remain to pan out.
