We are still waiting for the NFL to have its first Black majority owner. Or at least a Black person with a significant stake in an NFL team. Vince Carter is known as the greatest in-game dunker in NBA history and an elite player throughout his NBA career.
Now just a few days after his HOF induction on Sunday, having conquered everything he can as a player in the NBA, according to Sportico on X, it has been revealed that the man known as Vinsanity is ready to enter the entrepreneurial phase of his life as an NFL owner.
“EXCLUSIVE: Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Jozy Altidore are in talks to buy a minority stake of the @BuffaloBills. The Bills, owned by the Pegula family, have been actively courting new investors. The team is worth $5.08 billion, according to Sportico’s numbers,” read the caption of the post.
Altidore is a former U.S. soccer player.
Details of the reported deal remain limited. The excitement level depends on how substantial a portion of the team currently owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, who are reportedly actively seeking investors.
There were past rumors of Kanye West and Ice Cube and Byron Allen attempting to buy a majority stake in an NFL team, before the Denver Broncos were sold to Rob Walton’s The Walton-Penner group for $4.65 billion in 2022.
Magic Johnson was able to get a small piece of Josh Harris’ purchase of the Washington Commanders, but overall, NFL majority ownership has been a pipe dream.
Jay-Z’s $25 Million Super Bowl Deal With NFL Extended
There are some who feel Jay-Z is setting himself up for potential ownership in the future, as he’s aligned himself with Roger Goodell and the NFL hierarchy and is in charge of choosing the entertainment for the Super Bowl, a responsibility that caused plenty of controversy this season when Jay-Z announced the halftime lineup for this season’s Super Bowl.
Being that the Super Bowl is in New Orleans, there were a bevy of artists and fans who felt that Jay-Z disrespected the history of New Orleans hip-hop by excluding megastar and New Orleans-born Lil Wayne from the bill in favor of West Coast rapper Kendrick Lamar, as the headlining performer at the Apple Music Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show.
Some people lost their minds. Lil Wayne released a video expressing how he is disappointed in the decision.
Jay-Z, the NFL music strategist, released a statement coinciding with news that Kendrick Lamar, fresh off his demolition of Drake, would bless the stage during the halftime show, which will take place during Super Bowl LIX in February 2025.
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” Jay-Z said of the 17-time Grammy Award winner. “His deep love for Hip-Hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
In fact, according to Bloomberg, Jay-Z and RocNation’s halftime show selections have pleased the NFL so much that it’s extending its agreement. The original NFL deal with Roc Nation was five years for $25M, but it’s been extended into the foreseeable future.
“It’s been a mutually positive relationship,” Goodell said of the company and its chief executive officer, Desiree Perez. “I’m not sure either one of us really spend much time talking about contracts,” Goodell said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta. “Jay is happy. Desiree Perez is happy. I’m happy, so we’re all good.”
As music idols continue to fall, Jay-Z continues his rise.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Cousins and NFL Team Owners?
Same can be said for Vince Carter and T-Mac for buying into a multi-billion dollar enterprise and opening more doors by using their wealth, celebrity and connections to advance Black entrepreneurship and lay the foundation for future NBA players.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame held its induction ceremony for the Class of 2024 on Sunday, honoring some of the titans of the sport. The induction Vinsanity was arguably the highlight of the day, and a large focus of his speech focused around his cousin, Tracy McGrady, a fellow Hall of famer who Carter had the chance to play with in Toronto.
His hero Julius “Dr. J” Erving introduced him. Michael Jordan, a fellow UNC Tar Heel, was even in attendance.
NBA Cousins Worth Almost Combined $200M
T-Mac and Vince earned a combined $180 million during NBA careers that were fruitful and challenging at times. The early years were a dream as the multi-skilled McGrady was drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 1997 and spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the team. He played alongside the high-flying Carter following the Raptors’ decision to draft him the following year, something Carter references in his Hall of Fame speech. McGrady and Carter played together for 128 games with the Raptors from 1999 through 2000 and were an exciting, gravity-defying tandem.
“Air Canada” was an eight-time All-Star and holds the distinction as the only player whose career spanned four different decades. His 1,541 games are third most in NBA history behind fellow Hall of Famers Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He’s truly one of the ironmen of the sport, in addition to one of the most artistic and innovative finishers to ever do it.
Carter joined the Raptors on draft night in 1998 and won the 1998-99 Rookie of the Year. The “Vinsanity” era blew through the stadium roof in 2000 when he won the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, then posterized 7-foot-2 center Frédéric Weis at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Altidore has an estimated net worth of between $8 million to $10 million, also played seven seasons for Toronto FC between 2015 and 2021, including his MLS Cup MVP campaign in 2017.
That’s not enough combined capital to make a huge splash and they will probably have to add some additional investors to get a 25 percent cut of a franchise valued at more than $5 billion. But get in while the going is good anyway you can.
NFL Owners Shut Down Tom Brady Attempted Purchase Of 10 Percent Stake In Raiders, Sells Him 5 %
It’s hard for anyone to get a large chunk of an NFL franchise, regardless of race, creed or color.
Tom Brady’s attempt to buy 10 percent of the Vegas Raiders with 7 percent sole ownership for about $175 million last October was thwarted by NFL owners, despite Brady having the full support of Raiders owner Mark Davis. The review committee didn’t feel Brady had enough capital to justify selling him such a large percentage of the team. According to reports, the sale of 5 percent of the team to Brady was recently approved but it might cost him his $375M announcing gig which could be a conflict of interest.
Former U.S. Gymnastics star Dominique Dawes (net worth $3 million) was part of a failed bid for a minority stake in the Atlanta Falcons in May.
Bills Among Lowest Valued NFL Teams
The Bills currently ranked 30th in the NFL with a team valuation of $4.2 billion in the latest estimate by Forbes, so adding some star power into the press boxes and luxury suits won’t hurt.
The Dallas Cowboys franchise is No. 1, valued at $9 billion. The New England Patriots are fourth ($7 billion). The L.A. Rams are fifth on the list ($6.9 billion) and the New York Giants are sixth on the list ($6.8 billion). The Chicago Bears are the seventh-highest valued franchise at $6.3 billion, followed by the Las Vegas Raiders ($6.2 billion) and the New York Jets ($6.1 billion).
The Athletic’s Tim Graham previously reported in April that Bills owner Terry Pegula hired investment banking company Allen & Company to handle a potential sale with an estimated stake of 25 percent. The announcement came just months after reports that Buffalo’s new stadium was $300 million over budget, with experts suggesting it’s likely to increase with the ongoing construction.
According to reports, total man-hours on the new Buffalo Bills stadium construction have now surpassed one million, according to team representatives.
Looks like the Pegulas need some financial relief so this is a prime time for the soccer and NBA legends to get in on a huge deal.
