Sprawling Sporty Spread Owned by Former NFL Star Mick Luckhurst Is Ready To Kick Off on the Santa Barbara Market for $6 Million

Many pro athletes create private compounds with impressive sports facilities. However, this prized property in the hills of Santa Barbara has produced A-grade athletes and is fit for family living.

Designed for the family of former NFL kicker Mick Luckhurst, the property is ideal for a similarly sporty family. It's listed for $5,999,000.

The 7,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, eight-bath Mediterranean home comes with facilities for multiple sports, including football, soccer, basketball, golf, rock climbing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, and wine tasting. Even if you don't consider the latter a sport, the training is divine.

As a result of having grown up in this custom-designed compound, Luckhurst's three sons have excelled in Division 1 sports, college ball, and even professional competition. They also thrived academically, a feat that Luckhurst attributes to the top-rated schools in the area.

"This is not a house for everyone," says Luckhurst as he recounts his family's more than 20 years there. "But the person who appreciates the vibe and wants to live well in a place with a great spirit will walk in the front door and say, 'This is my new home!'"

Listing agent MarLa Gamberdella, of Village Properties, agrees.

"The mountain and even a partial ocean view, the green, tranquil, and private yet convenient setting, the quality construction, and the sports facilities are unlike anything else you'll find in Santa Barbara. Usually, you have to sacrifice one thing for another, but this property has it all," she says.

Luckhurst was born in England and moved to the United States to play college basketball. He quickly realized that, although he'd played national hoops in Britain, he was clearly out of his league in the U.S. But he wasn't without some athletic prowess that was of value in this country—he'd acquired mad kicking skills playing rugby all his life, and coaches advised him to try his luck with college football.

That advice led him to a football scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley. From there, he went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons from 1981–87. He was one of his team’s top scorers, with 115 field goals and 213 extra points.

"Those were great stats in those days," he says with a laugh. "Today, they'd get you cut from the team."

Luckhurst retired at the age of 29, partly because he was even more successful in the private sector than he was on the football field. Since he was one of the earliest British-born players in the NFL, and American football was hugely popular at the time, he was recruited by the British media to be their top commentator.

He also developed a lucrative, sports-oriented business in Atlanta that kept him there for a number of years, until he felt his family would benefit most from the full-time sand, surf, and sunshine of the Santa Barbara area. He had fond memories of the Golden State from his college days.

When he and his wife found this particular property in 2006, it was a leafy acre of land set in the hills above the fog, with ocean and canyon views, visible from an attractive house that had been built the year before.

Priced at around $3,215,000, it was 30% to 40% more than he'd intended on spending, Luckhurst recalls, but he saw its potential and couldn't resist.

Over the years, the family added square footage and more athletic facilities, turning it into the "sporting oasis" it is today. In addition to the many parties, fundraisers, and gatherings, the Luckhursts have hosted sports camps there.

But the property is not about the athletics exclusively. Ideal for entertaining multigenerations, it offers wide open spaces for hosting events and enjoying the scenery, as well as more secluded and intimate spaces, including a formal dining room, a media-game room with a bar and kitchen, and even a fully equipped gym.

"The gym was the boy's toy, the wine cellar was mine," Luckhurst says of the lower level that they added to the house. Some toy: The temperature-controlled wine cellar holds 3,000 bottles.

The other room where Luckhurst says most of the entertaining is done is the open kitchen. The family room, where most of the game watching is done, has an informal eating area that flows right into the kitchen, so a meal can be prepared without missing a second of the action.

"You could feed an entire NFL team from that kitchen," says Luckhurst. It has a large pantry, refrigerators and freezers, three ovens, steamers, two dishwashers, ice makers, and more. The kitchen also features custom cabinetry, decorative tile backsplashes, and a massive prep island with storage.

There are high-end finishes throughout the home—natural wood and travertine tile flooring, Venetian plaster walls, and handcrafted cabinets. Skylights and solar tubes fill many rooms with natural light, and four fireplaces keep them warm and cozy.

There are also thoughtful bonus spaces, like the hidden area off the spacious primary suite, which Luckhurst uses for a very private office.

The outdoor spaces are unrivaled anywhere in Santa Barbara and beyond. To be specific, they feature a putting green, lighted soccer/football field with goal posts, a tennis court, a bocce court, batting cages, a climbing wall, a basketball court, and a saltwater swimming pool with a spa, waterslide, and diving board.

An outdoor kitchen with an inviting bar serves them all.

"I love that barbecue," says Luckhurst.

In fact, while describing the property so fondly, he appeared to be wavering about putting it on the market—for a minute or two.

"It's a hard place to leave, but too big to live in now," says Luckhurst, explaining that his children are all grown and have moved out on their own. "I'm eager for the next family to move in. It's a home that needs a family—maybe one that's outdoorsy and athletic. The right family will just know."