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The Bucks officially announced Junior Bridgeman as a “significant minority owner” of the franchise in a press conference Thursday.
Reports swirled earlier this month that Bridgeman was set to acquire a 10% stake in the franchise valued at $3.4 billion. He played for Milwaukee from 1975–1984 and 1986–1987, and had his No. 2 jersey retired by the team in 1988.
After retiring from the NBA, he became a fast food mogul. He at one point owned more than 450 restaurants across the country, including Wendy’s and Chili’s, became a Coca-Cola bottle distributor, and bought Ebony and Jet magazines in 2020 after their publisher declared bankruptcy. Bridgeman Foods is the reason why Bucks fans get a free Wendy’s Frosty when the team wins.
Bridgeman, 71, is one of the highest-paid retired athletes, and a unique case for not building his fortune off of endorsement deals or becoming an analyst.
The Bucks are primarily owned by Wes Edens, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Jamie Dinan, and Mike Fascitelli. The Haslams, who own the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, completed their purchase of Marc Lasry’s stake in the team in April 2023, which placed the Bucks at a roughly $3.2 million valuation. Lasry is reportedly nearing the purchase of a majority share of the NWSL’s NC Courage.
“I’m overjoyed to return to the Bucks, where I spent the heart of my NBA playing career, to join their world-class ownership group,” Bridgeman said in a press release announcing the news. “I want to thank Dee and Jimmy, Wes, Jamie and Mike for their friendship and support in welcoming me back to Milwaukee. I hope that my life journey serves as an inspiration to current and future players who dream of joining an NBA ownership group.”
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