Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis ESPN said On Monday, he reached an “agreement” with future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to join the organization’s ownership group, pending approval by the NFL. Sports Illustrated also confirmed a minority stake in Brady. Here’s what you need to know:
- Davis was looking for a limited partner and was in talks with Magic Johnson a year ago. Johnson ended up being part of the new ownership group of leaders.
- Brady previously purchased ownership interests in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and the MLP’s Picklesball expansion team. Davis is also the primary owner of the Aces.
- Brady, 45, retired in February after a historic 23-year career winning seven Super Bowls.
the athleteInstant Analysis:
What does this mean for the future of Brady broadcasting?
Sports television entities have long haunted the idea that their broadcasters can’t have some kind of ownership stake in teams. The question usually comes down to optics: Are you comfortable taking calls from the broadcaster or discussing said team? Usually the answer is yes.
In Brady’s case, as ESPN originally reported, Fox blessed the source-based arrangement. This tracks historically with all networks. If you’re a fan of tennis, for example, you’ve long watched announcers analyze matches while actively coaching other players on tour. If Brady lands in the broadcast booth in 2024, he’ll be the highest paid employee and most popular frontman at Fox Sports. The company will not be derailed simply because of an apparent conflict of interest.
The rule of thumb I follow, and you don’t have to follow, is this: If someone has a financial stake in something, proceed with caution, not necessarily about what they say, but what they don’t say. If Brady ends up with a piece of the Raiders, I’m going to skip everything he says about the franchise outside of analyzing the game. But as to whether it will be an issue for Fox, there is no chance. – Deitsch
Davis and Brady deepen their relationship
The origin of Davis and Brady’s working relationship began last May when the former NFL quarterback attended the Aces game. The two caught up in the contest in a conversation that would eventually lead to Brady buying a partial ownership stake in the Aces in March.
“I think he was really impressed with how far women’s basketball had come,” Davis said. the athlete in March. “And he was also taken by the excitement and enthusiasm of the crowd in Las Vegas. He knew I was in it, and I think he just felt like he wanted to be a part of it. And so, his staff called me, we talked about it, and he became a partner of the world champion Las Vegas Ice.”
That eventually developed into Brady also seeking a minority ownership interest in the Raiders. Davis was open to considering the idea of selling a piece of the franchise when Johnson expressed interest in ownership the previous October, but the deal didn’t come together and the NBA Hall of Fame ended up buying an interest in The Commanders instead in April. Rather than consider the idea outright, he agreed to talks with Brady, with whom he’s built an even stronger relationship in recent months, and that’s the icing on the cake.
It’s an ironic turn of events considering Brady was frequently linked to the Raiders this season as a possible replacement for Derek Carr. Brady eliminated that possibility when he chose to retire, but he ended up being a forward after all. – cane
background story
Along with the Aces and future pickleball team, Brady has previously been linked to NFL ownership. In 2022, after his initial retirement, there were multiple reports that Brady was in discussion with the Miami Dolphins to become a minority owner.
The Dolphins were later sanctioned by the NFL for this impermissible contact with Brady, as he was still under contract with the Pirates. Miami was forced to forfeit its first round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft and its third round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Brady reportedly signed a 10-year, $375 million deal to join Fox as an anchor shortly after his retirement.
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