It was last year that reports broke about NFL legend Tom Brady purchashing a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders from owner Mark Davis.
This came immediately after the seven-time Super Bowl champion retired for a second time. At least initially, there was some concern about Brady unretiring, which would have had an impact on his ability to finalize the transaction.
Fast forward several months, and league owners have yet to ratify Brady’s purchase of a minority stake in the Raiders.
The league did not vote during its annual meetings this week. In no way does that mean something can’t be finalized down the road. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seemed optimistic when discussing the matter with media on Tuesday.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a delay,” Goodell said, via ESPN.com. “We go through a very thorough process. We’re just going through our process. We’ve been in touch with their side. I think it’s been making progress.”
This comes on the heels of another report indicating that the purchase remains in a holding pattern. Goodell’s comments seem to paint a different picture.
Related: Update on Tom Brady’s attempt to become Las Vegas Raiders minority owner
Issues with Tom Brady purchasing part of the Las Vegas Raiders
As reports broke about Brady’s deal with Davis and the Raiders last year, concerns were raised about the all-time great quarterback being given a discount.
“There should be an update on Tom Brady’s pursuit of a partial ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. Owners, not thrilled about there being a discount offer. That deal needs a lot of work if it’s going to get done,” CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones noted.
NFL owners are not in the business of seeing franchise values decrease. Whether that would be the case if a minority share of the Raiders were sold to Brady at a discount remains to be seen. It’s highly unlikely.
The other issue here is the fact that Brady is now set to begin his massive contract to cover the NFL for Fox Sports next season. For some, there could be a conflict of interest. That is to say, an analyst being more subjective than the league would like.