Tom Brady and Raiders owner Mark Davis meet to discuss Brady’s role as co-owner in Las Vegas, league sources confirm the athlete. 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 retired in February after a historic 23-year career, winning seven Super Bowls.
the athleteInstant Analysis:
What does this mean for the future of 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 reported by ESPN, Fox has 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
the background
Along with the future Aces and football team, Brady has 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. They were forced to forfeit the club’s first round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft and their 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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