The New York Giants might be selling a big chunk of ownership in the legendary franchise after some very worrisome evidence emerged about Steve Tisch on Friday.
The NY Giants organization was rocked by a major scandal this week. After a recent push from members of Congress, the Department of Justice released a new trove of files related to their investigation into infamous sex offender and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. One of the new names that emerged in the release was the team's co-owner, Steve Tisch.
Emails from the release show Epstein scouted women for the NFL owner in 2013. In response to the damaging correspondence, Tisch said in a statement , "We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women… I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with."
Obviously, the man who 45% of the team has not been accused of a crime. However, in the court of public opinion, the clear links to one of the most despised individuals in modern history could create a groundswell from fans and other NFL owners for Tisch to sell off his portion of the team.
If Steve Tisch were forced out as a co-owner of the NY Giants, let's look at five people who could look to purchase his share of the franchise.
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Last year, the NY Giants put up 10% of the franchise for sale. One of the intriguing names that emerged as a potential buyer was a group led by team legend Eli Manning . The two-time Super Bowl MVP later claimed the cost of the purchase was way too expensive. However, the opportunity to buy nearly half of the iconic brand is a rarity.
He and his brother, Peyton Manning , surely have met some very wealthy people in their jaunt into the entertainment side of the sport. It is possible they can get together a group to make a bid. Manning, leading the consortium that replaces Tisch, would go a long way in changing the narrative after this unexpected scandal.
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Speaking of those recent shares put up for sale, the new owner of 10% of the NY Giants is Julia Koch, the widow of billionaire industrialist David Koch. Looking to increase her ownership from 10 to 45% makes sense. She was approved by NFL owners in October, so the process to acquire more shares would be pushed through quickly. Koch should be viewed as a heavy favorite if Tisch were forced to sell.
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Investment fund billionaire Steve Cohen is already the owner of the New York Mets . So that should rule him out from owning another franchise in the city. Not one bit. Stan Kroenke owns most or parts of six pro teams, including the Los Angeles Rams . Ryan Smith controls four teams, including the Utah Jazz , and Los Angeles Dodgers boss Mark Walter spent $10 billion last year to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers .
Furthermore, New York fans have already seen it because James Dolan owns the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers . Cohen acquiring a large portion of a major brand like the NY Giants can't be ruled out because it's smart business.
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Oracle founder Larry Ellison is the sixth richest person on the planet . He was born in the Bronx and later raised in Chicago. He has been linked to the purchase of sports teams in the past, and he is one of the few people alive who can buy all of any pro team tomorrow if he wanted.
If a sale is open to the highest bidder, Ellison probably would be a contender. The only hindrance might be owning partial control instead of total.
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Similar to Eli Manning, legendary teammate Michael Strahan was another name that emerged in rumors about the 10% sale. Also, like Manning, he would need to form a consortium to complete a purchase. He is sure to have met some absurdly rich people during his years on the media side of the sport. If Alex Rodriguez can find a billionaire to help buy the Minnesota Timberwolves , why couldn't Strahan do the same?
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