Eli Manning, the Giants’ great who spent 16 seasons as the team’s quarterback and won two Super Bowls, is considering a new role with the franchise: minority owner. Following in the footsteps of Tom Brady and Richard Seymour, who just bought into the Las Vegas Raiders, Manning is putting together a bid to buy a piece of the team he used to play for.
Giants’ Search for Investors
In February, the Giants made headlines when the Mara and Tisch families, who have owned the team since 1925, announced they were looking to sell a minority, non-controlling stake in the team. To facilitate this process, they brought in investment bank Moelis & Co. to help them bring in new investors while keeping full control of the team.
For Manning, this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He had expressed interest in becoming a part-owner as far back as January and now it seems he’s taking steps to make it happen.
Building a Bid with Help from Others
According to Bloomberg, Manning has been reaching out to potential partners, including a few individual investors and even some retired players to build his bid. While details are scarce, sources say Manning is serious about getting a piece of the Giants and is using his Giants legacy and his NFL network to his advantage.
The Giants are offering up to 10% of the team and the team is valued at $8 billion by sports-team investors and advisors. This is a big opportunity and a competitive one with negotiations still ongoing and no decision yet.
Why Eli Manning?
Few people are more Giants than Eli Manning. He won two Super Bowls against the New England Patriots when no one thought he could and is one of the most beloved figures in Giants history. He’s a natural for this next chapter.
Plus, his post-playing career endeavors show he’s ready to lead off the field. Since retiring in 2020 he’s been active in philanthropy and broadcasting and continues to give back to the game and the community that supported him during his playing days.
A Legacy Extended
If this happens, it will be another chapter in his already legendary career and put him in a growing group of former NFL players who are becoming owners and will have a say in the game long after they’re done playing.
Nothing’s official yet, but Eli’s pursuit of a minority stake shows he’s still connected to the Giants and wants to be part of the team’s future. Here’s hoping this leads to even better days ahead for Big Blue.