Daddy Yankee is the newest celebrity owner of a sports team. The “King of Reggaetón” recently became the co-owner of the Cangrejeros de Santurce baseball team, a pro ball club in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC) in Puerto Rico. The Cangrejeros de Santurce are one of seven teams in the league.
“My fans know that baseball is my passion,” Daddy Yankee said in a statement. “I grew up in Santurce, so what better way to celebrate where I grew up than to partner with yours, Cangrejeros, to continue promoting our local talent outside of Puerto Rico and inspiring a new generation of young local athletes.”
The Cangrejeros de Santurce is based in San Juan and plays its home games at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium. The team’s new season begins November 6 with a game against the Carolina Giants.
“This is an exciting time for me, for our League and for our team as we fight to regain our crown in the face of fantastic competition,” said Daddy Yankee.
President and co-owner of the team, Thomas Axon, said Puerto Rico’s “proud sports heritage” is what led Yankee to join the team as a co-owner. “The history and importance of the team … convinced Daddy Yankee that the continuing rebirth of Puerto Rico baseball was something he felt he needed to get involved in,” he said.
Daddy Yankee joins a group of other Latine celebrities who have purchased a stake in a sports team. Here is a look at a few others who we’re sure are welcoming Daddy Yankee to their exclusive club.
Bad Bunny
Earlier this year, Bad Bunny became the co-owner of Los Cangrejeros de Santurce, but it’s not the same team Daddy Yankee just purchased. Instead, this is a professional basketball team based in the same city. The team is part of Puerto Rico’s National Superior Basketball (BSN) league. Bad Bunny was joined as co-owner by his manager Noah Assad, and Jonathan Miranda, vice president of Rimas Music Entertainment. “The main purpose and commitment of this initiative is to help foster positive change on the island,” the team said in a statement. “The goal is to promote a better future through sports, music and the arts.”
Anuel AA
This past summer, the rapper became the owner of the Capitanes de Arecibo of the National Superior Basketball League (BSN) in Puerto Rico. He also became the main sponsor for the women’s BSN league, which now features the title of his debut album, Real Hasta La Muerte, on all the league’s jerseys. “I am very happy to be able to help the development of women’s basketball in Puerto Rico,” Anuel said in a statement. “We have a lot of talent in the country that needs support.”
Marc Anthony and Jennifer López
Three-time Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony invested in the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League when he became a minority owner of the team in 2009 alongside his then-wife and superstar in her own right, Jennifer López. During the announcement of their new ownership, Anthony was given a jersey with No. 16, which represented his birthday on September 16. López received No. 24 for her July 24 birthday.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan
At the same time Marc Anthony and Jennifer López became minority partners of the Miami Dolphins franchise, so did Gloria and Emilio Estefan. “We are thrilled to be a part of our hometown team,” Estefan said at the time. The couple became the first Cuban American to own a stake in an NFL team.