The New York Giants are still trying to sell a small share of the franchise, but legendary former Giants quarterback Eli Manning won’t be purchasing it.
There were reports when it was announced that the Mara and Tisch families were trying to sell a non-controlling share of up to 10%, that Manning was interested.
Manning, though, told CNBC Sport that the purchase would be too rich for him.
“Basically, it’s too expensive for me,” Manning told CNBC Sport in an interview. “A 1% stake valued at $10 billion turns into a very big number.”
Manning told CNBC Sport that he has no interest in buying a share of any other NFL team, and that there were other complicating factors that ruled out his bidding for a share of the Giants.
“I wouldn’t be able to talk to players that I coached in the Pro Bowl. It was going to affect my day job,” said Manning, adding there could have been conflicts of interest with his role on ESPN’s ManningCast, the alternative Monday Night Football broadcast that he co-hosts with his brother, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Per CNBC, Manning made more than $250 million in career earnings from the Giants and many millions more from endorsements. He owns a production company — Ten Till Productions — and is a partner in the private equity firm Brand Velocity Group. He is also a minority owner in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC and TGL’s New York golf team.
Former Giant Michael Strahan and billionaire Marc Lasry have reportedly made a bid to buy a share of team. So has investor Julia Koch.