The National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings have joined the investment group seeking to secure a spot in Major League Soccer for USL PRO club Sacramento Republic, the teams announced on Thursday.
The commitment follows previous conversations between the Republic and the Kings that took place last summer.
“We shared early on our desire to have the Sacramento Kings as a part of our efforts to secure MLS for Sacramento,” Republic lead investor Kevin Nagle said in a club statement. “Their investment in Republic FC and support of our bid for expansion rights is just one more reason why we are ‘Built for MLS.’”
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a Sacramento native who played at Cal and for 12 seasons in the NBA, is expected to reveal more details in Sacramento's State of the City address on Thursday (5 pm PT).
“Vivek and the Kings have brought visionary leadership to Sacramento,” Johnson said in a statement. “They are the perfect partners for the City of Sacramento and Sacramento Republic FC in this transformational opportunity. All of us are building Sacramento into a city that will set the example for the way sports and culture interact with American cities in the future.”
