According to Deadline.com, TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro are entering the NFL by purchasing individual minority stakes in the Las Vegas Raiders. Each will hold less than 10% of the team once the deals are finalized, which are expected to close by the end of the month.
The majority owner of the Raiders is Mark Davis, who took over the franchise after his father, Al, passed away in 2011. In recent years, Davis has been selling off portions of the team, with notable investors like Tom Brady acquiring small stakes.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently reported that Egon Durban, head of Silver Lake and a controlling interest holder in TKO and WME Group, is looking to increase his stake in the team to 22%. NFL owners will vote on this proposal soon.
Emanuel and Shapiro’s stakes are personal investments and are not linked to TKO, WME, or MARI.
TKO conducts significant business in Las Vegas, as the UFC is based there, and WWE has held WrestleMania there for the past two years. Shapiro has extensive experience working with the NFL, including his role in securing ESPN’s Monday Night Football rights in 2005 while at the company.
