This was interesting about team spending and wealth, it was in The Athletic. Raiders might be the league's most profitable team.
Las Vegas Raiders
Cash over cap: 3.3% (27th)
Weighted Wins: 36 (22nd)
Bang-for-buck differential: +5 (T-9th)
Owner Mark Davis has sold 15 percent and 10.5 percent equity stakes in the team to groups that included retired quarterback Tom Brady.
As this trend proliferates in the NFL, I wondered whether these cash infusions might lead to increased spending. Execs in the league generally did not think so.
“Or is the family just going to pocket the money?” one GM asked, referring to the concept in general, not to the Raiders specifically.
Another exec thought there could be cases where the money was needed for other ventures, or that shares were sold simply to enhance the brand, as the case could be with Brady joining the Raiders. Another noted that while most owners publicly want to win and be lauded for spending, privately, they want to win as cheaply as possible.
The Raiders are an interesting case because of the gap between their lucrative stadium deal and Davis’ personal wealth.
“Anecdotally, I’m guessing the Raiders are probably the most profitable team in the NFL because of their stadium deal,” another exec said. “So, even though Davis doesn’t have a lot of money, relative to some other owners, they are actually probably the richest team. It’s not as fungible as how much outside raw wealth an owner has.”
