Since the NFL allowed private equity firms to purchase limited shares of franchises, a number of teams have reached agreements on that front. The Giants are interested in joining that list. 
The team is looking to sell as much as a 10% stake, as first reported by Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal. The Giants are currently owned and operated by John Mara and Steve Tisch, who each own a 50% share as things stand. No changes to the ownership structure of the franchise would be made if a sale goes through, per the report.
“The Mara and Tisch families have retained Moelis & Company to explore the potential sale of a minority, non-controlling stake in the New York Giants,” a team statement reads in part. “There will be no further comment in regard to the process.”
The Eagles, Dolphins and Bills have all worked out agreements in recent months to divest to new owners. Buyers connected to private equity firms are allowed by rule to purchase shares, but they are not permitted to take on a controlling stake. Still, a deal involving the Giants would be notable given the franchise’s market value.
As Fischer notes, the sales related to the Eagles included valuations of the franchise at $8.1 billion and $8.3 billion when they were agreed to. An arrangement involving the Giants is expected to surpass those figures, meaning Mara and Tisch will be in line for a major cash infusion if a deal can be worked out. Provided that takes place, approval from at least 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners will be required for ratification.
Having just celebrated their 100th season, the Giants’ heritage and market size will help attract potential buyers. The team’s lack of success in recent years could serve as a deterrent in some instances, but it would come as little surprise if a sale were to be arranged in the near future.
Minority ownership…Jerry Jones’ dream.
So many of these owners are cash-poor as odd as that sounds. Especially the ones who inherited their teams. These sell offs of minority ownership stakes are a way of retaining control but suddenly getting cash largely needed to cover the bonuses that must be set aside in escrow accounts. Teams like the Broncos and and the Panthers with newer owners (and incredible wealth – in assets and more importantly, liquid cash) have an advantage over the legacy owners like Davis in Vegas, the O’Maras in New York, the Brown family in Cincy, and the McCaskey family in Chicago. Woody Johnson has J&J company money backing him so he’s different..
Yep. The Mara who first owned the Giants was a minor bookie. The league wasn’t so legitimate back then. But selling a large stake to the Tisch family, who have tons of money, was their way of partially cashing in, so it’s not like this is the first time. And in Johnson’s case, he bought the Jets from an oil tycoon.