Giants Open to Selling Minority Stake; Will Eli Manning Be Involved?

The Giants are currently one of the NFL’s worst teams on the field, having just posted a 3-14 record while also watching former running back Saquon Barkley win a Super Bowl with the rival Eagles. The New York franchise, however, is now poised to set sports industry history.

The team, owned by the Mara and Tisch families, said it is considering a sale of up to 10% of the franchise, including potentially to private equity investors. The move follows the NFL’s approval last summer of a structure for PE deals and subsequent agreements for the Bills and Dolphins. 

The Giants, however, are in line to possibly set a new record for the valuation of a North American pro sports team. Recent franchise valuations have estimated the Giants’ worth at $7.3 billion, fourth-best in the NFL, but the forthcoming deal will almost certainly beat that—and perhaps by a lot.

“The Mara and Tisch families have retained Moelis & Company to explore the potential sale of a minority, non-controlling stake in the New York Giants,” the team said in a statement. “There will be no further comment in regard to the process.”

Despite the competitive malaise that has left the Giants out of the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, the team boasts a 100-year legacy, four Super Bowl titles, and a presence in the No. 1 U.S. media market. Fan support for the Giants has ebbed considerably in recent years, but would likely come rushing back once a winning team reemerges.

The Eagles were recently valued at $8.3 billion in a minority stake sale. 

The Eli Question

With the sale process officially started, speculation has immediately started on how former Giants star quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning will factor in the effort.

Now working for the team in a business operations and fan engagement role in addition to his numerous other ventures, Manning has not commented on the latest news. He has, however, repeatedly spoken of his desire in acquiring a stake in Giants, and that it would likely be the only team in which he would pursue ownership. The ongoing success of his various post-retirement activities—including the ManningCast on ESPN’s Monday Night Football with his brother, Peyton—has also likely enabled Manning to at least be part of a larger group acquiring the minority equity stake. 

As far back as 2022, Manning told Front Office Sports that buying into the Giants was definitely “of interest,” but he doubted at the time that shares in the team would become available. That situation, however, is now a reality. 

Manning is also a co-owner of the NWSL’s NJ/NY Gotham FC.