NBA legends Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady approved as minority owners of NFL's Buffalo Bills
NBA legends and Basketball Hall of Famers Vince Carter (left) and Tracy McGrady have been approved as minority owners of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, the team announced Wednesday. Carter and McGrady, who are first cousins, are among 10 new limited partners for the Bills. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Getty Images
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- NBA legends and Basketball Hall of Famers Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady have been approved as minority owners of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, team owner and CEO Terry Pegula announced Wednesday.
Carter and McGrady, who are first cousins, are among 10 limited partners added to the Bills’ ownership group, marking the first time in franchise history that minority owners have been added, according to a news release. The non-controlling interests were approved during NFL meetings in Dallas on Wednesday.
“It’s a huge honor to join this historic Bills organization,” Carter, 47, said in the release. “I’m truly thankful the Pegula family has given me the opportunity to help the franchise continue to grow and thrive in player growth, community service and of course winning the Lombardi trophy. See you soon Bills Mafia!!!!!”
McGrady, 45, also shared his excitement, saying it is a “dream come true.”
“Sports have been such a lifelong passion, and the chance to contribute to such a top-tier organization is a true honor,” he said. “After meeting the Pegulas, understanding their vision, embracing their values, and sharing their commitment to winning, this decision felt natural. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this journey.”
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Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA from 1998 to 2020 for the Toronto Raptors (where he was teammates with McGrady), New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. The 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year was selected to eight All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams during his career. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 in October.
McGrady played 15 seasons in the NBA from 1997 to 2012 for the Raptors, Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks. The two-time NBA scoring champion earned seven All-Star selections and seven All-NBA selections during his career. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
In addition to Carter and McGrady, the other eight new minority partners for the Bills include Jozy Altidore, former US Men’s National Team soccer player and MLS champion; Tom Burger, co-founder of Gridiron Capital; Theresia Gouw, co-founder of Acrew Capital; Mike Joo, COO of Global Corporate & Investment Banking at Bank of America; Sue McCollum, CEO of Eagle Brand Sales and Double Eagle Distributing; Rob Palumbo, co-managing partner of Accel-KKR; Rob Ward, co-founder of Meritech Capital; and Arctos, a private investment firm.
“This has been an incredible journey to add such an impressive and diverse group of limited partners along with a reputable private equity partner in Arctos that has an extensive track record of success with professional sports franchises,” Pegula said in the release. “They all have all achieved high levels of success in their respective industries and we’re grateful for their interest in our team, our sport, and the future of the Buffalo Bills. Most of them have a personal attachment with our team, Western New York or Southern Ontario which was a very important factor to me.”