Carmelo Anthony Invests $5 Million In Pizza Joint, Sports Bar Chain
Oklahoma City Thunder player Carmelo Anthony just dropped major cash on an investment in pizza and sports bars. Anthony has recently invested $5 million in a pizza joint and a sports bar brand, both New York City-based, that are forming a partnership with an eye toward expanding nationwide.
As reported by the New York Post, the 6-foot-8-inch 34-year-old is now a major investor in Nobodys Pizza, which is owned by Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Hospitality Group and currently has only one location in the Bronx. The pizza joint plans to rapidly expand in collaboration with The Ainsworth, a chain of sports bars that recently enjoyed some press coverage due to its 24-karat-gold chicken wings.
The Ainsworth and Nobodys Pizza plan to roll out together in locations near 20 to 30 sports stadiums across the country over the next seven years, the Post reported, and will rely on an investor base of pro athletes and influencers to grow. Nobodys Pizza currently has one location in New York, and The Ainsworth has four locations in New York and one in New Jersey.
"I am excited about the prospects of partnering with The Ainsworth and Nobodys Pizza — combining food, entertainment, sports and real estate," Anthony said via a statement for Side Dish.
According to sports news site ThunderWire, Anthony is "rapidly approaching the deadline to exercising the final option on the final year of his current contract." Reportedly, if the NBA star says yes to the final year of his deal on July 1, he'll make $27.9 million. That's a lot of money to potentially invest in the pizza and sports bar chains.
It appears as though the NBA star is taking a cue from superstar player LeBron James, who invested in the successful pizza chain Blaze Pizza, and who also has a huge decision to make come July 1. But this is the not the first time Anthony has tried to break into the food world. Last year Page Six reported that the former Knicks player was partnering with Stratis Morfogen on a new sports bar called Mr. Big Shot, which the world has yet to see. But with the new partnership with Nobodys, maybe The Ainsworth will become one of the 50 best sports bars in America!