Are There Any Black Owners in the NFL?

In light of recent events, many people are wondering if there are any black owners in the NFL. The answer may surprise you.

Defining “Black Ownership” in the NFL

When most people think of “black ownership” in the NFL, they are referring to the small handful of African American billionaires who have majority ownership stake in an NFL franchise. However, this definition of “black ownership” omits the significant number of African Americans who have partial ownership stake in NFL teams.

What counts as “Black ownership” in the NFL?

The National Football League (NFL) has a complex history when it comes to race and black players. Though the league is majority white, the NFL has always been integrated – with black players appearing in every season since the 1920s.

However, black ownership in the NFL is a different story. As of 2021, there are no black majority owners in the NFL. But that doesn’t mean there are no black-owned teams in the league. In fact, there are a number of team owners who identify as black or African American.

So, what counts as “black ownership” in the NFL? The answer isn’t simple. For some people, it’s enough that an owner is of African descent – even if they don’t identify as black themselves. For others, only a majority-black ownership group would qualify. And still others believe that an owner doesn’t need to be black at all – as long as they’re committed to promoting diversity and opportunity for black players and employees.

Whatever definition you use, it’s clear that black ownership in the NFL is far from ideal. But with a number of talented and ambitious African American executives working behind the scenes, that could all change in the future.

What doesn’t count as “Black ownership” in the NFL?

The National Football League (NFL) has a long history of segregated ownership. Despite the league’s efforts to change this through its “Rooney Rule,” which requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football executive positions, the number of black owners in the NFL remains low.

According to a recent report by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, as of 2019, there are only two black majority owners in the NFL: Afred Johnson, owner of the Buffalo Bills, and Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are also three black co-owners in the league: Michael Jordan (Charlotte Panthers), Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers), and Robert Kraft (New England Patriots).

Black ownership in the NFL has been an issue for many years, dating back to when then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle required all team owners to be interviewed by at least one ethnic-minority candidate before being hired. However, this rule has not resulted in a significant increase in black ownership, as majority black ownership still only represents 3% of all NFL teams.

The TIDES report also found that while people of color make up nearly 30% of NFL players, they only hold 16% of coaching positions and just 13% of senior leadership positions across the league. In addition, people of color hold just 9% of team president positions and 8% of general manager positions.

The History of Black Ownership in the NFL

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league. It was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season.

The first Black owner in the NFL

The first Black owner in the NFL was Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., who purchased the San Francisco 49ers in 1977. DeBartolo’s father, Edward DeBartolo Sr., was a wealthy businessman and one of the largest shopping mall developers in the United States. When Jr. took over the team, he was just 28 years old, making him the youngest owner in NFL history at the time.

Under DeBartolo’s ownership, the 49ers experienced immense success, winning five Super Bowl titles between 1981 and 1994. In 2000, DeBartolo was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is also the only owner in NFL history to have his team win a Super Bowl in each of his first five seasons as owner.

The number of Black owners in the NFL today

At the beginning of the 2020 NFL season, there were just three Black majority owners in the league – Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins, and David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers. That’s down from a high of six in 2005, when Robert Johnson of the Charlotte Panthers, Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons, and Michael Lewis of the New Orleans Saints all joined the league. But those three teams are now all controlled by white ownership groups.

Despite these numbers, Black ownership in the NFL is not a new phenomenon. In fact, there have been a number of Black majority owners in the league over the years, dating back to 1963 when Edward DeBartolo Sr. purchased the San Francisco 49ers. Here’s a look at some of the other Black owners who have made their mark on the NFL landscape:

* George Halas – Halas was one of the original founders of the NFL and was also its first commissioner. He owned the Chicago Bears from 1920 until his death in 1983.

* Art Modell – Modell owned the Cleveland Browns from 1961 until he moved them to Baltimore in 1996. He was also one of the most influential figures in NFL history and served as president of both major television networks that broadcast games (ABC and CBS).

* Ozzie Newsome – Newsome became first Black general manager in NFL history when he was hired by the Browns in 1991. He held that position until he took over as owner of the Ravens following their move to Baltimore in 1996. Newsome is widely regarded as one of the best front office executives in NFL history and helped build two Super Bowl-winning teams in Baltimore.

* Eddie DeBartolo Jr. – DeBartolo Jr. inherited his father’s 49ers franchise in 1977 and went on to become one of most successful owners in NFL history, winning five Super Bowls during his 23-year tenure. DeBartolo Jr. was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame Classof 2016.

The number of Black majority owners in the NFL may be small, but their impact on boththe game and league as a whole has been significant.

The Challenges of Black Ownership in the NFL

Despite the NFL being nearly 70% black, there are currently only two black majority owners out of the 32 teams. This number is down from three in 2019, when Robert Johnson sold the Carolina Panthers. The dearth of black ownership in the NFL is puzzling, given that the league has been successful in promoting black head coaches and executives. There are a number of potential explanations for this phenomenon.

The lack of Black ownership in the NFL

In a league where over 70 percent of the players are African American, there is a striking lack of Black ownership. Out of the 32 NFL teams, none are majority African American owned, and only two teams have any African American ownership at all — the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions, with Shahid Khan and Martha Ford respectively as the only Black NFL owners.

This lack of diversity among NFL ownership is not for lack of qualified African American candidates. There are plenty of wealthy and successful African Americans who could easily purchase an NFL team if they so desired. The problem lies in the prohibitively high cost of ownership — the average price of an NFL team is over $2 billion, and that’s not including the cost of building or maintaining a stadium.

For comparison, Major League Baseball teams average around $1 billion in value, and NHL teams are even cheaper at an average of $570 million. It’s no wonder that there are currently no majority African American owned MLB or NHL teams either, although there are a few minority owners in both leagues.

The high cost of NFL ownership is not likely to change anytime soon, so don’t expect to see any new Black owners in the near future. But given the league’s history of excluding minorities, it’s definitely something that should be addressed.

The lack of diversity among NFL ownership

The lack of diversity among NFL ownership is a long-standing issue that has been brought to the forefront in recent years. There are currently no black majority owners in the NFL, and only a handful of minority owners. This issue was brought to light again in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. Several other players followed suit, and the protests became a major talking point throughout the season.

Critics argue that the lack of black ownership in the NFL is a reflection of the league’s larger problem with diversity. As of 2016, only 22% of NFL players were black, while nearly 70% were white. This discrepancy is even more glaring when you consider that African Americans make up 13% of the US population.

There are a number of reasons why there are so few black owners in the NFL. For one, the cost of purchasing an NFL team is prohibitively expensive for most people, black or white. The average price of an NFL franchise is $1.4 billion, and there are only 32 teams in the league. That means that buying just one team would require nearly one-third of all African American households (which have a median income of $43,300) to come together to purchase an ownership stake.

In addition, many black Americans don’t have enough wealth to buy an NFL team outright. According to Forbes, there are only six African American billionaires in the US (just 0.2% of all American billionaires), and none of them have expressed interest in purchasing an NFL team. Even if they did have the money, it’s unlikely that they would be able to persuade enough other wealthy blacks to invest with them to reach the 30% ownership stake required by league rules.

Finally, it’s important to remember that most NFL teams are owned by white men who inherited their wealth from previous generations. These “old money” owners are not interested in selling their teams to outsider investors, whether they be black or white. This makes it very difficult for anyone who doesn’t already have billions of dollars at their disposal to purchase an NFL franchise

What Can Be Done to Increase Black Ownership in the NFL?

There has been a recent push to increase black ownership in the NFL. This is in response to the protests against police brutality and racial inequality that have been happening across the country. The NFL has been criticized in the past for its lack of diversity, both in its players and in its ownership.

Increasing the number of Black owners in the NFL

There is no shortage of discussion surrounding the lack of diversity in the NFL, especially when it comes to coaching and front office personnel. But one area that is often overlooked is the dearth of Black ownership in the league.

As it stands, there are only two Black majority owners in the NFL: Sheila Ford Hamp of the Detroit Lions and Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars. That means that only 4% of the league’s 32 teams are majority-owned by Black individuals.

There are a number of reasons why this is problematic. For one, it means that there are far fewer role models for aspiring Black owners to look up to. Secondly, it gives the impression that the NFL is not a welcoming environment for Black business leaders (despite the fact that Khan is one of the richest men in America).

So what can be done to increase Black ownership in the NFL?

First and foremost, it is important to note that changing the composition of NFL ownership is not something that can happen overnight. It will take time, patience, and resources to create lasting change.

One way to start would be by increasing access to capital for Black-owned businesses. This could be done through targeted investments from venture capitalists and private equity firms, as well as grants and low-interest loans from government organizations.

Another key component would be increasing recruitment and mentorship programs for young Black entrepreneurs who are interested in owning an NFL team. These programs could provide guidance on how to navigate the world of professional sports ownership and connect aspiring owners with potential investors.

Finally, it is important to remember that changing the demographic makeup of NFL ownership will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders involved – including current team owners, league officials, and business leaders from across America. Only by working together can we hope to see meaningful progress on this issue in the years to come.

Increasing the diversity among NFL ownership

There are currently no black majority or minority owners in the NFL. The issue of diversity among NFL ownership came to the forefront in 2017 when then- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. In the wake of Kaepernick’s protests, many players have joined him in speaking out against social injustice, and the league has made a concerted effort to appear more supportive of its black players. However, some have criticized the NFL for not doing enough to increase the diversity of its ownership ranks.

One way to increase black ownership in the NFL would be for the league to offer financial incentives to prospective black owners. Another potential solution is for the league to create an ownership development program specifically geared towards increasing black ownership in the NFL. This program could provide training and resources to qualified candidates interested in becoming NFL owners. Finally, the league could encourage existing black majority and minority owners in other professional sports leagues (such as MLB, NBA, and NHL) to purchase teams in the NFL. By taking these steps, the NFL can make significant progress towards increasing the diversity of its ownership ranks.