Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has joined the investor group backing Oklahoma City’s professional soccer club and the downtown stadium district where the team will play.
Mayfield, who starred at the University of Oklahoma before becoming the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, said investing in the project was a way to support the state where he launched his football career.
“Oklahoma made me who I am, as a player and as a person,” Mayfield said. “The state shows up for its teams, and that energy is going to translate to professional soccer.”
Mayfield is investing through Echo Investment Capital, the Oklahoma City firm leading the club’s ownership group and the mixed-use development around the stadium.
He joins Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams and Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, whose investments were announced alongside his.
The ownership group also includes Russell Westbrook, former U.S. men’s national team forward Jozy Altidore, Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto, the Chickasaw Nation and entrepreneur Nick Gross.
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The club is scheduled to begin play in the USL Championship in 2028 as the anchor tenant of the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, which broke ground earlier this month.
Echo is developing the surrounding district, which will include sports, entertainment and education uses around the publicly funded venue.
“We have always believed sports can be a catalyst for community and economic growth, and to have athletes of this caliber put their names and capital behind that vision is extraordinary,” Echo founder and Chief Executive Christian Kanady said in a statement.
Williams, who helped the Thunder win the 2025 NBA championship, and McLaughlin-Levrone, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles, also cited their ties to Oklahoma City and the project’s long-term impact as reasons for investing.
The 10,000-seat stadium, designed by Populous, is expected to host concerts, community events and a future United Football League franchise. The club is expected to unveil its name and branding later this year before beginning play in 2028.
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