‘It’s time for black ownership’: Stephen A. Smith calls on the NFL to allow black applicants to take control of the Washington Commanders…and suggests Jay-Z and Beyonce make an offer!
- ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith says now is the time for a black NFL owner
- It follows Washington owner Dan Snyder’s decision to explore selling options
- Snyder has been a controversial figure in NFL circles for a number of years
- There has never been a black NFL owner and only ever two non-white owners
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ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has urged the National Football League and affluent blacks to take advantage of the opportunity the Washington Commanders are currently offering.
Divisive Washington owner Dan Snyder is considering selling the NFL franchise after years of controversy over everything from the team name to allegations of sexual harassment.
However, it remains unclear if he would sell the entire team or if he only wants to add a minority partner.
Regardless, Smith says now is the right moment for a Black person or group to be at the helm of an NFL franchise. There has never been a black owner in the history of the league. And he even suggested Jay-Z and Beyonce reach out.
Dan Snyder, owner of Embttled Commanders, is considering selling his Washington franchise
“It’s time for black ownership,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday morning.
African American Melody Hobson is a minority owner of the AFC West team, the Denver Broncos.
“I’m talking about a majority owner of a National Football League franchise who happens to be a black person. That would be nice,” Smith continued.
“One of the things that we have discussed and lamented in recent history is the lack of representation, the lack of diversity when it comes to the ownership group.
Jay-Z (L) and Beyonce (R) have been suggested by Smith as black people wealthy enough to support the purchase of an NFL franchise
National Football League rosters are largely made up of African American athletes
“Maybe if there were black owners, more issues would be addressed more forcefully, there would be more transparency.
“Of course, more coaches would be of African American descent and beyond. And so I see this as an opportunity to ingratiate an African American into the process. You got a guy like Jay-Z with Beyonce, and God knows how much money they’re worth.
According to Forbes, the Commanders are valued at $5.6 billion. Meanwhile, various reports suggest that the power couple is worth around $1.5 billion together.
Smith also suggested the alternative of a group of African Americans coming together to make an NFL franchise a team collectively owned by Black people.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (left) and Commanders boss Dan Snyder (right) are two of 30 white owners in the National Football League
The New York Giants are the only team currently under joint ownership. Both John Mara and Steve Tisch own 50% of Big Blue.
“You’re talking about groups of individuals who could band together and really work together and combine their resources to ultimately own franchises across the National Football League,” Smith continued.
“Why can’t that be the case when we’re talking about representation for African Americans? It’s about time this happened in the National Football League – over 65% of its players are black. Of course we understand that.
Stephen A. Smith used his massive ESPN platform to voice his views on black ownership
“They talk about it being worth billions and billions of dollars, and there are enough deep-pocketed black people who would like to be a part of the National Football League’s cash cow and this is an opportunity for them to do it.”
Often known as the face of ESPN, Smith made a caveat that black ownership could be prevented from existing within a largely white ownership group.
The league currently has two non-white owners in Buffalo’s Kim Pegula, who is Asian-American, and Jacksonville’s Pakistani-American boss Shahid Khan.
Shahid Khan is the current owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham of the Premier League
“What everyone needs to understand and remember is that you can have all the money in the world and the National Football League, which means the Board of Governors – their ownership group – still don’t have to let you in. They can still keep you out.
“What we’re saying is that it’s long past time they let African Americans in. And this is a perfect opportunity to do so.
“This is the time to make that happen if you are the National Football League.”