Michael B. Jordan just did something no other Premier League owner has ever done. The Hollywood star won his first Oscar on Sunday night, taking home Best Actor for his role in Sinners. And yes, that makes him a Premier League owner with an Academy Award.
Jordan's film Sinners absolutely dominated the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The Ryan Coogler-directed thriller scored 16 nominations, making it the most-nominated film of all time. Beyond Jordan's Best Actor win, the film took home Best Original Screenplay for Coogler, Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and Best Original Score for Ludwig Goransson.
But here's the football connection that caught everyone off guard. Jordan has been a minority owner of Bournemouth since December 2022, when Bill Foley's Black Knight Football Club took over the south coast club. Jordan led the minority ownership group in that deal.
From Hollywood to the Premier League
Speaking to TST last March, Jordan explained his path to football ownership. "As a kid, I used to play soccer a lot," the 39-year-old revealed. "Funny enough, I was the goalie because I didn't like running a lot."
Jordan saw real potential in the Cherries when he made his investment. "I invested in Bournemouth a couple of years ago. When the opportunity presented itself, I just saw a team with a lot of upside, a lot of growth, a lot of potential, and I love their story. I love the team's history," he told reporters.
What This Means for Bournemouth
The Oscar win brings massive publicity to Bournemouth at an important time. The club currently sits in a comfortable 10th place on the Premier League table, enjoying one of their better campaigns in recent memory.
Having an Oscar-winning Hollywood A-lister as part of your ownership group doesn't hurt when it comes to attracting players or sponsors. Jordan's star power could translate into bigger commercial deals and more global recognition for the relatively small club.
For punters keeping an eye on Bournemouth's long-term prospects, this kind of high-profile ownership can signal ambition and financial backing. The Cherries have already shown they can compete in the Premier League this season, and with ownership that includes someone as successful as Jordan, their upward trajectory looks promising.
Jordan already played American football on screen as Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights from 2009 to 2011. Now with his Bournemouth connection and Oscar gold, maybe an international football film is next on his agenda.
