Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro Have Invested in the Las Vegas Raiders at a $9.9 Billion Valuation

The Las Vegas Raiders have added Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro, Michael Dell, and Joseph Baratta to their ownership group. This move marks another significant change for the nfl landscape.

All four have acquired stakes in the franchise. Emanuel will own 1.4 percent and Shapiro 0.6 percent, with deals expected to close later this month. Egon Durban has increased his stake to 22 percent, while Michael Meldman now holds 12.9 percent.

Together, the six investors now own 25.3 percent of the Raiders, valued at US$9.9 billion. Mark Davis remains the majority owner. Other minority investors include Tom Brady, Tom Wagner, and Richard Seymour, all active figures in the nfl community.

If Davis sells the team or passes away, Durban will become the controlling owner. This will be under an nfl-approved succession plan.

Emanuel and Shapiro are influential in sports through TKO, which owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Both have connections with the nfl as well.

Shapiro has strong nfl ties, having led ESPN’s acquisition of Monday Night Football rights in 2005 and created the nfl Honors event. With Emanuel, he also led Endeavor’s acquisition of On Location. On Location offers exclusive nfl hospitality packages.

Ownership Landscape

Shapiro also co-owns Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club. Emanuel launched an events and experiences business in Mari last year, which owns several tennis tournaments, including the Madrid and Miami Open. Their roles in the sports world continue to include nfl relationships.

Both men have existing ties to Raiders co-owner Durban, as Silver Lake controls TKO and WME after taking Endeavor private last year. Silver Lake Partners has also acquired a 3.2 percent stake in the Cleveland Browns, valued at over US$9 billion, according to SBJ. This further connects private equity to nfl franchises.

Dee and Jimmy Haslam will remain controlling owners of the Browns. They have committed US$1.75 billion to the team’s new stadium project in Brook Park. This is a substantial investment in nfl infrastructure.

Arctos, which owns stakes in the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers, was recently acquired by KKR for US$1.4 billion. Hutchinson noted that KKR’s takeover would create “much larger opportunities” for Arctos. These include league, venue financing, and global deals that could impact the nfl.

Arctos is among a select group of private equity investors approved to buy stakes in nfl teams. Others include Sixth Street, which owns a stake in the New England Patriots, and Ares Management, which owns ten percent of the Miami Dolphins.