Bucs turned down $6,050,000,000 record-breaking offer to sell team: Report
The Bucs have reportedly turned down a deal to become the highest-selling sports entity of all time in the NFL and globally after turning down an offer just over $6.05 billion. The Glazer family, which owns the franchise, allegedly received an unsolicited offer of that amount, which would have shaded what the Josh Harris-led group paid for the Washington Commanders in 2023.
As first reported by Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, the buyer was 'qualified', which means they could pay the amount that they were committing to. The Bucs rank towards the middle of the pack in their valuation rankings, which also shows the potential of other teams should they wish to sell.
When patriarch Malcolm Glazer bought the franchise in 1995, he paid $192 million, which itself was a record. It shows the appreciation in the valuation of these teams, which is the product of a marketable league that dominates the domestic market, and scarcity of actual sales since franchises are not in the market often.
As Badenhausen points out, there have only been four control transactions in the past dozen years and the average tenure of an NFL owner is over 40 years.
Could Glazers' decision to change Manchester United involvement have initiated Bucs offer?
That the Glazers chose to hold on to their NFL asset is not a surprise. The Bucs have recently won a championship, football's popularity is increasing around the world, and in four years will be broadcast to a global audience watching the Olympics in Los Angeles.
However, the potential buyer could have been moved to make an offer because the Glazer family has changed their involvement with Manchester United beginning this season. They sold 25% of the shares to Jim Ratcliffe in a deal that gave the latter control over football operations. That could have been seen as a signal that they would be willing to negotiate for the Bucs as well.
On the contrary, they still have a majority ownership stake in the English soccer club and took the decision to sell partially to ensure that they do not have to get involved in Manchester United's operations. The record domestic English league champions need significant improvements both on and off the field, including targeting a return to the UEFA Champions League and potentially building a new stadium.
This could be a sign that the Glazers want to be more involved in running their other assets, which includes the Bucs.