TKO’s Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro joining ownership group of notable NFL team
The NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders have two new minority shareholders as TKO’s Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro will soon join the team.
Reported by Variety on Tuesday, Emanuel (TKO CEO) and Shapiro (TKO president and COO) will “take individual, personal stakes” in the Raiders, making them minority owners, joining Dell Technologies’ founder Michael Dell and Blackstone global head of private equity Joseph Baratta. Two other minority investors have also increased their stakes. NFL legend Tom Brady is famously part of the ownership group, led by Mark Davis, son of the also legendary Al Davis.
Following the expected close of the deal later this month, Emanuel will own 1.4% of the Raiders while Shapiro will own .06%. At a total team valuation of $9.9 billion, Emanuel’s stake could be in the neighborhood of $139 million with Shapiro’s stake at an estimated $5.94 million.
Emanuel brought in $67.4 million last year from TKO while Shapiro took home $42.6 million. Shapiro is also a minority owner for the Los Angeles franchise in Major League Soccer with both men having extensive ties to the NFL. TKO’s On Location is the exclusive hospitality provider of the NFL.
The Raiders play at Allegiant Stadium, home of the last two WWE WrestleManias with TKO having a significant presence in the city with the UFC headquartered there. The team was established in 1960 in the American Football League before joining the NFL in 1970. Before moving to Las Vegas, they spent time in both Los Angeles and Oakland.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.