Marshawn Lynch grew up in Oakland, California playing a variety of sports. Now, he's stepping up to own a portion of the only team left in the city, the Oakland Roots. Joining co-founder Edreece Arghandiwal, Lynch will join the United Soccer League franchise as the league makes the jump to second-tier status under the United States Soccer Federation.
"Growing up in The Town, we always could count on the pro teams in this area but with most of those ones that I grew up with gone, I knew the minute I heard about the opportunity to join Oakland Roots, it wasn't just something I wanted to do, it was something I had to do," Lynch said.
Lynch is a Bay area native who attended Oakland Technical High School before going to Berkley, California to play college football. He spent the first eight years of his career playing in both Seattle and Buffalo before coming home to spend two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Through and through, Lynch has always stayed true to his roots.
"From the start, we have tried to build an ownership group that was excited about more than just pro sports, but also about Oakland and our Purpose," Arghandiwal said.
"We couldn't be more proud to welcome someone who has long been an inspiration to Oaklanders and all of us at Roots."
Lynch is not the only pro sports star to buy a portion of a team today. Earlier this afternoon, three-time NBA Champion Dwyane Wade become a part-owner of the Utah Jazz. Wade will also have an "active role" within the franchise moving forward. He joins a shortlist of NBA legends to become team owners that includes Grant Hill, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan.
Lynch will step into his new role on May 8 as the team opens their 2021 season.
Photo Credit: Getty Images