Added punch: A-Rod joins PFL as investor, exec

LOS ANGELES — Baseball great Alex Rodriguez is taking a swing at mixed martial arts as an investor and board member for the Professional Fighters League.

The PFL announced the addition of the former New York Yankees superstar to its board of directors Thursday.

Rodriguez’s investment is part of what the PFL says is $30 million in new funding to back its global expansion and the establishment of a pay-per-view superfight division. The funding round was led by Waverley Capital, investor Edgar Bronfman Jr.’s media-focused venture capital fund.

The PFL didn’t disclose the size of the investment made by Rodriguez, who made more than $450 million during a playing career that ended in 2016. He has since worked extensively on numerous media platforms, including as an ESPN baseball analyst, and he is a prolific investor.

Rodriguez has a minority ownership stake in the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx along with partner Marc Lore. His corporation has made investments in dozens of companies, including the UFC Gym personal fitness arm of the UFC.

“I love the global reach of MMA,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “The PFL continues to build and innovate for fans, media and fighters, and there is massive demand in the marketplace.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.