NFL Explores Foreign Team Ownership, Says Ex-Commanders President
Summary
TheNational Football League (NFL)is reportedly on the cusp of opening its doors to foreign investment in team ownership, according to Jason Wright, the former president of theWashington Commanders. Speaking on a sports business panel last week at Gabelli Funds' annual Media & Sports Symposium in New York, Wrightstatedthat his 'experience in NFL circles suggests the league is close to opening itself up to foreign investment.'
While sovereign wealth funds from regions like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already taken significant stakes in global sports like soccer, golf, and auto racing, major U.S. leagues have historically resisted such direct foreign ownership. However, with the NFL's continued business surge and its ambition for international expansion, Wright sees the diversification of its money pool as an 'inevitability.'
Wright explained that the NFL, being a 'slower mover,' will likely 'test the waters' initially through large-scale 'partnership deals with companies and brands that we know foreign governments are behind and supporting.' He suggested that once these significant sponsorships, such as naming rights deals at the team level or marquee league partnerships, start emerging, it will signal a direct investment from foreign entities is on the horizon. These discussions, he revealed, 'have been happening in the background.'
Wright, who served as the first Black president of an NFL franchise from 2020 to 2024, emphasized that smaller leagues might see sovereign investment more directly first due to greater need, but the NFL's move is a matter of when, not if. This shift could significantly impact the financial landscape of the league, potentially unlocking new capital for team operations and further international growth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Atlanta Budget a Safeguard Against Potential Trump Cuts, Lawmakers Say
Atlanta City Council members say proposed cuts to federal aid programs many Black Atlantans count on and concerns about a national recession were on their minds last week when they approved another record-setting fiscal year budget. 'Everyone seems to assume we're going to have a recession,' council member Howard Shook told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. 'Things are so unpredictable in [Washington] that it's just hard to say what's going to happen.' Council members said they put more funding in this year's budget because they worry an economic downturn related to President Donald Trump's tariffs on foreign goods will have a domino effect on Atlanta's economy, and as a result will impact the city's tax revenue. They're also concerned about the effects anticipated reductions to federal aid included in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will have on city operations. 'The budget is trying to grapple with the potential that some federal money is going to go away,' council President Doug Shipman told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. The federal budget bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 22 still has to be approved in the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump before becoming law. Major cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other critical programs many low-income Black Atlantans rely on for medical coverage and for paying their bills are included. More than half of Georgia SNAP benefit recipients were Black in 2020, according to the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute. Roughly 25% of Black Georgians were enrolled in Medicaid in 2023, according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center. Only about 10% of white Georgians were on Medicaid the same year. In its current form, the Big Beautiful Bill would also cut funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's rental assistance programs by more than $26 billion, or roughly 43%. Shipman said those cuts could have a devastating impact on federal funding for affordable housing efforts in Atlanta, which is one reason the City Council voted to increase funding in its next fiscal year budget. 'The city is having to take on more of the burden of the programs that have historically been federal in nature,' Shipman said. 'We're going to try to do our best to continue to support folks [with] rental assistance, affordable housing, [and] new units.' Capital B Atlanta has reached out to Mayor Andre Dickens' office for comment. Shook and other council members voted unanimously in favor of the estimated $3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1, despite concerns about running a deficit next year, which includes a general fund budget of about $975.4 million. The city was already projected to have a $33 million deficit for the current fiscal year budget, largely due to lack of attrition and overtime pay for the Atlanta Police Department, according to lawmakers. Dickens' office told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week that it has already cut the anticipated deficit in half by limiting hiring for vacant city job openings. Shook said the city's workforce was reduced by about 400 positions to help balance the current fiscal year budget. He said the mayor's office has agreed to periodically report to the council the status of department spending next fiscal year to avoid running a deficit again. Balancing the budget has become an ongoing problem in Atlanta, a city of only about half a million residential taxpayers, that is responsible for providing municipal government services to an estimated 6.3 million metro area residents who work in or commute into the city. 'There's a very widespread recognition that FY26 will have to exist in and compete with a time of really unrivaled [macroeconomic] uncertainty,' Shook said. 'We're not going to wait for quarterly budget reports, as has been the custom.' The post Atlanta Budget a Safeguard Against Potential Trump Cuts, Lawmakers Say appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
NY Giants' Interest May Have Cooled on All-Pro Jaire Alexander
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NFL Minicamp approaches. The discussions surrounding the New York Giants haven't changed much from what they were when the most recent NFL season ended. How does this team keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders? How do they stay out of the NFC East's cellar? Big Blue did what every pro football team needs to do to give itself a shot at being routinely competitive. They began a search for a better starting quarterback. The Daniel Jones experiment is over. New York added Russell Wilson via free agency and Jaxson Dart during the NFL Draft. Now, there's more hope for the immediate and distant future, even if that hope seems minimal. Jaire Alexander, New York Giants news (Photo by) Jaire Alexander, New York Giants news (Photo by) Photo by/Newsweek/Getty Images Must read: New York Giants Shuffle the Deck in Their Scouting Department Talent on both sides of the ball was addressed during the selection meeting. Cam Skattebo and Marcus Mbow are on the roster now. So are Abdul Carter and Darius Alexander. More punch is needed on defense if New York intends to keep up with two of their rivals now. Still, despite the news of a two-time All-Pro recently becoming available, there are conflicting reports about whether he'd be a fit. Theories suggest the Giants would be wise to steer clear of Jaire Alexander Why wouldn't the Giants show interest in Jaire Alexander? He's a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time Second-Team All-Pro nod. Certainly, no one questions his ability when on the field. There's just one problem. He hasn't been on the field as much as an interested team would enjoy seeing. He has missed ten games or more during three of the past four seasons. Must read: Giants Offensive Line Still Expected To Struggle Despite Big Spending Perusing the respected news outlets reveals their is interest from the G-Men's media and faithful, but it isn't unanimous. Some of the respected voices for Giants coverage believe there's no reason to enter the sweepstakes, including Art Stapleton of "Jaire Alexander would have been an intriguing target for the Giants had he hit the market three months ago. With the Green Bay Packers waiting to release the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback until now, that's no longer the case." He continued: "And this is certainly not an argument against the talent of Alexander, who would instantly bring the best resume of any defensive back on the roster to Big Blue. Sometimes the timing of personnel decisions such as these - with the importance of looking in the mirror and being realistic about where the Giants are - can trump everything else." CBS Sports' Jared Dubin recently crafted his take on "Top landing spots for oft-injured star CB." The G-Men weren't mentioned in his theory. Must read: Abdul Carter Headlines a List of Giants Postseason Award Contenders The Giants have already invested heavily into Paulson Adebo to be their top cornerback. He signed a three-year, 54-million deal on March 13. Korie Black was drafted in April, albeit in Round 7. This team still wants to get the best out of Tae Banks and Cor'Dale Flott. Stapleton is correct in much of his theory. Green Bay was a playoff team last season. If they say no, how can the Giants say yes? If this was an opportunity that presented itself last offseason, acquiring Alexander would have been a no-brainer, but things have changed. This is certainly a hard pass.
Fox Sports
42 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
How to measure success for Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, other rookie QBs in 2025
Collectively, the latest crop of quarterbacks entering the NFL has drawn little enthusiasm. But that ultimately doesn't matter. Settling into their NFL homes, the QBs have an opportunity to write their own story in the league. All the rookie quarterbacks are starting from square one, though with differing expectations. Here is how a successful 2025 should be measured for each of the first eight quarterbacks taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Cam Ward Team: Tennessee Titans Round 1, No. 1 overall 2025 goal: start 17 games (flashing star potential) As the top overall selection, Ward is expected to be a franchise-altering quarterback for the Titans. But it could take a few years for him to reach that level, even if he's a "hit." What Jayden Daniels (2024) and C.J. Stroud (2023) did the past two seasons are outliers. If Ward can show an ability to elevate in spurts what appears to be an average supporting cast, display composure in critical moments and limit turnovers, that should be viewed as a win for the Titans. And that should be the case even if Tennessee's record does not reflect a substantial improvement from the team's 3-14 finish in 2024. Jaxson Dart Team: New York Giants Round 1, No. 25 overall 2025 goal: learn by watching; ready to take QB1 reigns in 2026 If all goes according to schedule, Dart won't play meaningful snaps in 2025. Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback for the Giants, who also have Jameis Winston as a capable veteran backup. The best case scenario is that Dart takes in everything he can from them in a "redshirt" year so he's ready to start Day 1 in 2026 — while still being ready to play in 2025 if New York's quarterback plan falls apart. Tyler Shough Team: New Orleans Saints Round 2, No. 40 overall 2025 goal: hold on to starting job In the wake of Derek Carr's retirement, the Saints are saying that they have a quarterback competition between Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. They're splitting first-team reps. But the reality is that Shough should win the job, given the draft investment in him as a second-round pick. So it's paramount that he doesn't give them a reason to think twice about his readiness. Decision-making and ball security will be key for the former Louisville quarterback, like with all rookie passers. Jalen Milroe Team: Seattle Seahawks Round 3, No. 92 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 job; flash promise in specialty role With Sam Darnold being the unquestioned starter in Seattle, Milroe's first goal should be earning the top backup role over Drew Lock, who returned to the Seahawks this offseason on a two-year, $5 million deal. The team has talked about the possibility of playing Milroe a few snaps per game in packages that utilize his rushing ability. If he can bring value there and make steady progress as a passer, the former Alabama standout could be in the mix to start in 2026. Dillon Gabriel Team: Cleveland Browns Round 3, No. 94 overall 2025 goal: become a regular on the gameday roster In Cleveland's crowded quarterback room, which includes 40-year-old Joe Flacco and journeyman Kenny Pickett, Gabriel may have the most roster security as a third-round rookie. But as a Day 2 quarterback, he'll need to show poise and comfort in Kevin Stefanski's system. Even if he's not QB1, Gabriel could get an extensive look if the offense struggles, keeping him in the Browns' quarterback plans moving forward. Shedeur Sanders Team: Cleveland Browns Round 5, No. 144 overall 2025 goal: become a regular on the gameday roster A projected top pick early in the pre-draft process, Sanders' status as a Day 3 pick puts him at the bottom of the Browns' quarterback pecking order to start his career. But he's firmly in the QB1 competition and should stay on the 53-man roster as an early-round talent. Like Gabriel, Sanders earning his way into a regular role on the game-day roster — even as a backup — would cement his place in Cleveland for 2026. Kyle McCord Team: Philadelphia Eagles Round 6, No. 181 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 role While he certainly won't supplant Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts as the starter, McCord has an opportunity to fill the top backup quarterback role vacated by Pickett, who was traded to the Browns earlier in the offseason. The FBS leader in completions per game and passing yards in 2024, McCord has competition in Tanner McKee and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who've started a combined six NFL games. Will Howard Team: Pittsburgh Steelers Round 6, No. 185 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 job Now that Aaron Rodgers has signed with Pittsburgh, Howard will compete with Mason Rudolph for the primary backup role. A national champion at Ohio State last season, Howard will have to impress Pittsburgh's coaches to beat out Rudolph, who started 13 games for the Steelers between 2019-23 before playing for Tennessee last season. But there's a scenario in which Howard gets meaningful snaps as a rookie, based on Rodgers' age and Rudolph's low-end potential. Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
