The Golden State Warriors took home the NBA title on Tuesday night, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to win their first championship in 40 years.
While Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala will draw the headlines, one man with a rather significant MLS connection will be celebrating with the Warriors this week.
LAFC co-owner Peter Guber is co-owner and executive chairman of the Warriors, helping guide Golden State to the 2014 Sports Business Journal Team of the Year award and overseeing the club's transformation from an also-ran to a champion.
Guber’s involvement with LAFC and the Warriors got us thinking about other MLS who have won titles in other major North American sports leagues. Here’s the list:
Philip F. Anschutz/AEG – 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cups, LA Kings | MLS Cups 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014, LA Galaxy | MLS Cups 2006, 2007, Houston Dynamo | MLS Cup 2004, D.C. United | MLS Cup 1998, Chicago Fire
Anschutz and his Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have been involved in MLS since the start of the league, and their clubs have won nine MLS Cups over the years. Today, AEG has divested itself from its full ownership of all but the LA Galaxy, winners of three of the last five titles.
Beyond soccer, AEG has also experienced recent success with the NHL's LA Kings, who took home the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014.
Lamar Hunt/Hunt Sports Group – Super Bowl IV, Kansas City Chiefs | MLS Cup 2000, Kansas City Wizards | MLS Cup 2008, Columbus Crew
Like Anschutz, Hunt played a huge role in the development of MLS, at one point owning three teams in the league. The winner of the 1969 Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, Hunt won MLS Cup 2000 with Kansas City and, two years after his passing in 2006, the Hunt family-owned Columbus Crew took home the MLS Cup, in 2008. The Hunts are still involved in MLS, of course, and hunting for a first title with their lone club, FC Dallas.
Stan Kroenke/Kroenke Sports Enterprises – Super Bowl XXXIV, St. Louis Rams | 2001 Stanley Cup, Colorado Avalanche | MLS Cup 2010, Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids, winners of the 2010 MLS Cup, are just one of a number of sports properties owned by Kroenke, who also won a Super Bowl ring while minority owner of the St. Louis Rams in 2000 and took home the Stanley Cup as owner of the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
Robert Kraft – Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, New England Patriots
They may be MLS’s ultimate bridesmaid – the Revolution have lost in the MLS Cup final a record five times – but the Krafts oversee one of the NFL’s most trophied franchises, the New England Patriots, who have won the Super Bowl four times since 2001.
