Levien confirms interest in Maccabi Tel Aviv — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, American sports executive Jason Levien has publicly confirmed for the first time his interest in the possibility of becoming a significant shareholder in the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club. At the same time, he said he would not get ahead of the legal process related to the dispute between the club’s shareholders.
In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Levien called possible involvement in the club an “interesting opportunity.” He said he loves Maccabi and what the club represents, and that he is close to some key shareholders, including Shimon Mizrahi, who has run the club for 50 years.
Arbitration between shareholders
The Recanati family seeks to sell Levien a significant stake in Maccabi. Shareholder Richard Deitz opposes this, arguing that he has a right of first refusal to acquire the stake. The dispute was referred to arbitration, with Dr. Israel “Rali” Leshem selected as arbitrator.
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A separate dispute has also arisen over Levien’s participation in the arbitration proceedings, prompting Deitz to go to court. Levien did not comment on the details of the conflict and did not publicly support either side, saying he would let the legal process take place.
Experience in sports
Since 2012, Levien has been co-chairman and CEO of DC United, a football club that plays in Major League Soccer. Previously, he held the positions of CEO and managing partner of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and also served on the NBA Board of Governors.
He made his comments about Maccabi in Washington at an event introducing DC Flight, a women’s professional volleyball team. The team plans to begin playing in Major League Volleyball in 2027.
