For enough money, sure, Saudi Arabia could buy an NFL team

NFL rules prohibit foreign investment in franchises. But rules were made to be disregarded, when sufficiently profitable to do so.

Tuesday's stunning news that the PGA Tour and LIV golf have settled their differences with a merger that is more akin to a LIV buyout shows that everything and everyone has a price. At a certain price, everything and everyone is for sale.

So, yes, the Public Investment Fund (the formal name of the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia) can get into the NFL if it wants. And if it has to set up a competing league to light the fuse, so be it.

It worked in golf. Why wouldn't it work in football?

Again, they have to want it. If they truly do, they can pull it off.

The NFL, after decades of rule changes aimed at making the game safer, has risked the arrival of a competitor with players and fans that embrace "old-school football." The Public Investment Fund could start there, if blocked in the effort to buy a team. If they want one.

Everything and everyone has a price. At a certain figure, the NFL's owners will look the other way. Money changes everything, including positions that presumably would never change.

Look at the things the PGA Tour said about LIV golf, leaning far into Saudi Arabia's connections to 9/11. Now, consider the things NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said about the potential legalization of betting on pro football, when Delaware tried to challenge the federal law preventing states from embracing it in 2009: "Normal incidents of the game such as bad snaps, dropped passes, turnovers, penalty flags and play calling inevitably will fuel speculation, distrust and accusations of point-shaving and game-fixing."

Eight years later, the Supreme Court upheld New Jersey's challenge to that same federal law, opening the floodgates of legalized gambling — and causing the NFL to dramatically change its position, once it realized there was much money to be made from this new reality.

The LIV golf cash grab represents another new reality that can be parlayed into a ton of money. And if the Saudis keep putting more and more and more money on the table, eventually the league would change "no" to "yes."

It all starts with whether the Saudis want in. If they do, and if they’re willing to invest unlimited cash into the effort, there will eventually be a number that causes those who own the NFL's teams to tell Goodell to earn some more of his own annual compensation package by being the pin cushion for any and all criticism that would flow from the many millions, if not billions, to be earned by simply doing business with folks who have a ton of money and are willing to spend it on football. If they want to.

No one knows at this point whether they want to. It's now obvious that, if they do, there's an easy way to make it happen.

Make them an offer they happily won't refuse.

What a world. U.S. taxpayers will be buying stadiums for the Saudis now.

"Never forget" was our motto after 9/11. It appears that too many have forgotten…

According to some reports, they’re about to buy the Commanders

What a world. U.S. taxpayers will be buying stadiums for the Saudis now. _______________________________________________________________________

No thank you. Not today, not ever.

A competing league? How many of those have worked? ONE!

Imagine the precedent that will be set when the Jaguars sell for $10B.

How can you have old school football again when they can't even field high school teams at once historic schools?

Golf is over. Didn't watch much anyway, just the majors. No more. Golf is dead.

"Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered."

It would be nice to take a moral high ground but most of our leaders are in the tank

Should have bought the Commanders when they were on sale. They already own DC.

Why would they? They would simply buy all the players like they did in golf and create their own league. Don't laugh, it could happen with endlessly deep pockets. The XFL and USFL are one thing, but if the Saudi's entered the scene and started throwing billions around to the players and branded their league as the premiere football league, it would create a hostile takeover type scenario for football as well. Money always wins. The NFL owners are very similar to the PGA leadership. The PGA is extremely restrictive on image and likeness. The PGA is hypocritical, touting tradition and history when it's in their best interest but screwing their players when it's not. They claim they are a player run organization but the players are left in the dark. The PGA is greedy and when the threat of LIV appeared, they thought they were too big and too influential to be threatened. Sounds a lot like the NFL when you think about it. Would the Saudi's want the NFL? Probably not, but who knows. There is a ton of room for them to ‘improve’ on the game just like they did in golf. We all know the NFL is far from perfect.

I don't follow golf so this is all news to me. But it certainly seems like an alarming precedent..

"Never Forget"…. unless you pay me enough to do so.

With the price of NFL teams and the rules about how much cash an owner has to have on hand the NFL will have to do something to expand the potential ownership pool.

Let's be honest with ourselves, the NFL has no morals other than money so they would have no problem jumping into bed with the Saudis

If the NFL plays an international game in Saudi Arabia, then we’ll know for sure.

They should set up a league. NFL needs competition

Golf surely won't be the last. From everything I have been reading it looks like they may purchase a baseball team first. Now just need to figure out which one that would be. Baseball os more of an international game so that would make sense. Just hard to believe some people are okay with this stuff.

The PGA and the NFL aren't the same tho, right? Are there "owners" in the PGA that would have to ratify the Saudis as an owner? They would in the NFL and that collection of oligarchs I don't think would share with foreign entities.

Now if someday they do get their global NFL and there's a Saudi team, I can definitely see Saudi owners.

Take their money, then nationalize the deals and revert back to local ownership. See ya.

People pretending that Saudi money is anymore dirty than American billionaire money. That's rich.

The Saudi royal family could buy the entire league, if allowed.

Not for nothin’, but the United States (and the NFL for that matter) sitting on their moral high horse is hypocrisy at its finest.

Like the article says ,,,at a certain point everything and everyone is for sale !

Rich Saudis are buying up the Premiere league teams. They would offer $3-$4 Billion more. The NFL is all about the benjamins, they don't care.

If there's one thing the Saudi's have more of than crude oil,……. it's CASH !!Money talks,.. BS Walks. Unless the NFL adapts rules or bylaws against foreign investment,… heck ya they can buy a team and more than likely build their own stadium. That's peanut money to them.

That would end the NFL for me.

I guess if Al Queda had enough money they could buy a team, too.

They will have to show their tax returns. Highly unlikely. Don't want ‘em.

Golf has permanently lost me as a fan and viewer. The same would happen if the NFL ever allows a Saudi owned team.

The NFL wants Pro football to go global.

So maybe they are thinking of having foreign ownership and based teams. Like soccer.

Remember this $$$$$$$$$ rules the NFL.

Sure why not..Who doesn't own the US..

Given the money being spent and the current popularity of the other football in the Gulf States right now. I dont think the NFL has anything to worry about.

No Foreign ownership of NFL teams period. It would be the death knell of the NFL if they let the Saudis in.

The US already has too much foreign investment (land, farms, etc). I don't see China or Russia allowing US investors to buy real estate, farms, or sports teams. Plus there is the obvious decline of middle east oil due Bidet and his leftist buddies forcing the US to go entirely electric by 2030. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, etc will be poor and could not afford to operate an NFL team.

A few people at the top of the PGA sold the game of golf to the Saudis. The Saudis now have exclusive investor rights, meaning that as they invest more to spread the game of golf, they will take control of the board.

I hope Congress blocks this deal. How we can let a few people at the top benefit from this while losing control of the country that was accused *by the PGA* of supporting 9/11? All while the PGA maintains nonprofit status.

I’d rather see a Saudi, invested in their team and the League, as opposed to trust fund kids like Spanos who are content to cash checks.

I don't know if the Saudi's have any interest in American football but I was wondering yesterday what would happen if Saudi Arabia decided to form their own league to compete against the NFL. They have enough money to compete with the NFL and therefore potentially drastically increase player salaries. It has been about 40 years since the original USFL was able to get some of the best college players to join their league. I don't see the owner of teams in the NFL merging with Saudi Arabia but I could see football expanding to other cities under a new league formed by Saudi Arabia with possibly some of the best NFL players being part of their league.

Considering that the Saudis are signing top soccer talent to single year deals that almost equal an NFL team's entire salary cap number, I doubt they’d have an issue stealing the players for a rival league. And sadly, I think many Americans would follow and watch them.

The AFC middle east division?

dryzzt23 says:June 7, 2023 at 10:47 amThe US already has too much foreign investment (land, farms, etc). I don't see China or Russia allowing US investors to buy real estate, farms, or sports teams. Plus there is the obvious decline of middle east oil due Bidet and his leftist buddies forcing the US to go entirely electric by 2030. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, etc will be poor and could not afford to operate an NFL team.

—————

Yeah, Russia is in really great shape right now. They should be able to gain all sorts of leverage.

lmao

Some food for thought,… there are several Americans who own sports teams in foreign countries. Think about it. I wouldn't be supportive of a Saudi owned NFL team,.. but I don't want to be a hypocrite either.

Not so fast. Literally no one paid any attention to how the PGA Tour and organization was run 2 years ago. Even now, 95% of your readers (and a good 75% of your staff, I bet) couldn't tell you the name of the PGA commissioner without Googling it.

Even casual NFL fans can tell you the name of the owner of their favorite NFL team. Everyone commenting on this site knows (and either laughs at or makes derisive comments about) Jones, Snyder, Haslam and Bidwill. The public outcry of a team sale to a group or individual from Saudi Arabia, China or Russia would be overwhelming.

Now, if the NFL ever decided to create an International League, presumably based in Europe, then I could see foreign investors.

Suadis are trying to diversify their income streams before it's too late. They know that oil as a primary source of income has a shelf life on it with a bunch of manufacturers already stating that within the next 15-20 years they’ll be electric only. When demand drops, their income drops. If one thing can still print money, it's sports. Thats why they’re buying soccer teams, golf, auto racing, etc.

The NFL makes a good deal of money selling American. You aren't going to milk so much money from a product owned by foreigners. Especially Middle Eastern foreigners as so aptly demonstrated by the above comments.

Why is it ok for our politicians to take their money and not anyone else?

They should make a league and have it play on Friday nights, Saturday day and Saturday nights DURING the NFL season. Start buying up the top talent out of college as well as vets about the hit FA. Would be great to see the NFL Cry about it.

nflfan51 says:June 7, 2023 at 9:54 am

A competing league? How many of those have worked? ONE!

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Well TWO actually the AAFC in 1949 which brought the Bills, Browns, Colts & 49ers into the NFL (and incidentally integrated professional football) and then the AFL after the Chiefs SB win in 1970.

Maybe 2.5 since while it didn't merger with the NFL essentially the NFL bought out the original USFL.

That said, as pointed out the Saudi's certainly have the money for form their own league except they are missing two very important components (1) Cites economically strong enough to support another league and (2) Talent – as shown in today's NFL with an average playing career of 3 years there really isn't enough top end talent.

Now the Saudi's could get over hurdle #2 by offering a lot more MONEY to play in their league (which is what both the AFL & USFL did).

But there is nothing they can do about hurdle #1. In order for teams to be profitable they need a fan base that will draw a large video audience and somehow just I don't think the ‘San Antonio Rough Riders’ (no insult to SA, a fine city, it just isn't on the tip of everyone's tongue and I suspect they like it that way) is going to be a big threat to the Cowboys fan base (Houston on the other hand).

But the real problem for the NFL is that at the current price tag the number of individuals who can buy a team can be counted on all your digits. Even groups of individuals is pretty limited.

Corporations on the other hand have the resources to easily buy franchises but probably NOT the correct mindset to run a NFL team (spent most of my career rubbing shoulders with the C-Suite and they really don't have the right mind set).

But as big business globalization continues (and it will) sooner or later, if the owners want to really cash in they are going to have to consider opening up that door.

The shield has spent the better part of the last 50 years intertwining NFL football with American patriotism. It's embedded in the brand. So while money is a powerful incentive, I have hard time seeing how the suits at 345 Park could allow a team to be sold to an investment fund from Saudi Arabia. Or, go right full rudder on the NFL brand, and pivot away from the American flag. You can't have both.

Saudi Arabia can buy a team? What about Russia? Can they buy a team? What about the United States?

The Qataris did it in the premier league when they bought Manchester City and they have turned it into the best soccer team in the world….I am sure fans out there are tired of cheap owners and they would welcome the opportunity for another owner to come in, spend the money and turn a team into a contender, especially for teams that are constantly on the bottom of the league rankings.

The problem commenced when the PGA engaged the services of the "sultans of spin", the media, who virtue signalled every inch of the way to carry the organization's water. The PGA was blindsided by LIV. The former reacted by throwing everything at the wall to see what’d stick. Thankfully, with the emergence of common sense they have stopped the bleeding. Ignorance is bliss. The Kashogi clan used to be a darling of the ruling Al Saud family in Saudi Arabia. Unintended consequences of dining with any ‘evil entity’ are beyond human comprehension. Since when did sports leagues become agents of the UN Commission on Human Rights?

If that ever happened, I, along with million of Americans, would stop watching.

This is an American sport. Period.

If anyone here thinks most NFL players wouldn't jump at the LIV Football League you haven't been paying attention.

They could easily give Mahomes a $500M contract without blinking.

They could triple the rookie wage scale for guys coming out of college.

just one team? dont these folks have enough to buy the league

The NFL flexing Thursday Night Football games already proved the NFL will do Anything for the right price.

They can have the Cowboys!

Oil-rich entity starts up new league and ruffles feathers of the established league by poaching its players with insane amounts of money, changing the rules of the game to add more excitement, getting its own TV deal, etc.

Then a merger was done to prevent the players’ salaries from bankrupting the leagues.

The AFL-NFL merger story is very similar to LIV-PGA's.

The Saudis can buy the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL in one fall swoop. As evidenced by their purchase of the PGA it's hard to keep to your principles when you can get generational wealth that can cover 10 generations of your offsprings.

Players with short NFL carriers keep getting told ‘its just business’. That mantra could be reversed on owners & the league when players adopt the same mentality & leave in droves to take huge money to play in a Saudi league.

There are a lot of people who would blindly follow and love their favorite teams no matter what. I think there are a lot more who would be turned off and find something better to do with their time and money. Greed is a disease.

Isn't that Private Investment Fund essentially operated by the government of Saudi Arabia (a monarchy)? Are you saying then that national governments will be allowed to purchase NFL teams, such as United States or Germany or England? Once you allow the official Saudi government to purchase a team, it seems like you would have to allow other governments to do so as well. This seems problematic on the face of it.

Everyone is so focused on the "foreign ownership" angle that they are missing a HUGE part of this. This is not about an individual Saudi businessman purchasing a team but the Saudi monarchy and national government.

Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund could not purchase do to rules against corporate ownership. An individual Saudi might be able to get American citizenship under programs that grant it for large investments.

Everyone talks about this and that about the game and why they won't watch anymore. I would definitely be out if that ever happened.

Anyone who thinks the Saudis are gonna run out of oil money in our lifetime's is gravely mistaken. Bidets "all electric" by 2030 us about as realistic as saying "we will be time traveling by 2030". On a side note, I think most people don't actually understand how electricity is generated or what is used to create electricity

The easiest path for the Saudis is to buy the CFL which is already on the verge of bankruptcy. Sell a team or two to TB12 and Antonio Brown for the publicity, throw some money at washed up QB's like Matt Ryan or Drew Brees and give young draft picks or free agents guaranteed contracts. Watch how fast the CFL grows, then merges with the NFL when it threatens their existence. Then start a few international teams. London, Munich and the Saudi Commanders.

Speaking of competing leagues, remember when the owner of the New Jersey Generals sued the NFL and won $1 in damages? As I recall, the other USFL owners were mad at that owner for destroying their league, which was doing all right until he entered their business. Can't remember his name, but I’ve noticed that the NFL has refused to let him buy a team out of fear that he would run it into the ground like he has so many other businesses.

Suadi Arabia could buy the league, every league on every continent, from peewee through pro, at the same time!! Lol

"aypeeswhippingstick says:June 7, 2023 at 10:04 amShould have bought the Commanders when they were on sale. They already own DC.">>>Well, they did, but only until January 20, 2021.

The Saudi's team name? How about the "Bin Ladens" "Bombers"?? so many possibilities

Apparently, "Never Forget" has been forgotten, in the name of greed.

I have no idea if this will ever happen but it is possible. Money talks period. Also for al the a$$ hats laughing at green energy, you surely have not been paying attention, most of all the sporting venues that the middle east controls for formula one, soccer etc, are state of the art and are a high majority green energy. Yes, they already kick the US butts in that too and when the switch is inevitable, we will have to buy the tech from them. Why? Because we have too many dumb sheep in our country who pick party over country. Technology is real and no one outside the US gives a damn what party you belong to. Some of the most advanced and innovative sporting venues in the world are NOT in the United States.

It has been reported that this fund has over 600 billion dollar but it actually has in excess of a trillion dollars. I remember people wondering how they could offer PGA players hundreds of million to play golf for them. They were playing the long game and it succeeded. Now what's next baseball or even hockey. Remember they like sports that are played around the world and the football isn't one of them.

Judging by how the Saudi's operate, any NFL writer, player of owner who criticizes them better have a spare set of arms and legs.

The NFL would sell to Kim Jon Un for the right price and Goodell would be there at the demilitarized zone to give him a big, awkward bear hug. It's almost as if capiltalism is a garbage system that is purposely designed to encourage everyone to throw away their morals.

This is how the NFL dies under the weight of its own greed. Let it happen.

It starts with a team, and then they come for the league. Same way they had a few events with WWE and then bought them. Same way they lured a few golfers and then bought the tour.

IF the NFL allows the Saudis to buy a team(s), then it will free up a lot of my time. I love watching NFL games, but to know that the Saudis are involved will cause the bile to rise in my throat, ruining any chance to enjoy the games.

I’ll enjoy all the free time that I’ll have when I don't watch 15+ hours of football every week.

The American flag hanging in front of your house is made in China. Let's stop pretending we have morals when it comes to money.

The American flag hanging in front of your house is made in China. Let's stop pretending we have morals when it comes to money.

The American flag hanging in front of your house is made in China. Let's stop pretending we have morals when it comes to money.

What's stopping the Saudis from starting their own football league and offering players a $100 million signing bonus to ship, a la LIV?

They might sell the whole league and all it's entities for the right price.

I’ll give it 10 years and the Saudis will have an NFL franchise.

Bet on it!!! 🇨🇲🐫

They might sell the whole league and all it's entities for the right price. Just saying not supporting.

" Holes 9-11 of the PGA/LIV Tours are sponsored by the Saudis "

Live with it folks. Corporate America will sellout to ANYTHING or ANYONE with money.

Let's have Putin buy out Woody Johnson and call his team the New York Nyets.

I’m on the other side of the fence on this one. First and foremost, the Kingdom didn't have anything to do with the 9-11 attacks. Everything they’ve stood for is what made bin Laden so anti-Saudi. Essentially selling out and becoming friends with the United States (his sworn enemy).

And let's not forget the CIA helped bin Laden and the Mujahideen against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

In fact, the United States government had been directly implicated in so many brazen topplings of foreign leaders, high profile citizens around the world everyone's lost count. Heck, check out our record just in our backyard in Central America and South America.

All this is to say we have a real problem when it comes to telling everyone put s*** don't stink.

Real hypocrisy is telling everyone to look at their ‘words’ but ignore our actions.

Saudi Arabia is well invested in our American markets and should the United States fail, they’ll take a huge loss as well.

Now that the rant is over, I ask you- should the world banish us for invading Iraq over phantom weapons of mass destruction claims?

Why are we so naive to think we’re angels. This is literally what pisses everyone off in foreign countries and I’ve worked in enough of them to know why we have this reputation.

NFL prohibits foreign investments? Then why are they pushing so hard to play games outside the US and to possibly have teams there?

Let's take advantage of their fans but not let any other people own a piece of the pie.

it's just a matter of when the Saudis buy a team not if. They already own the White House

Riyadh Roughnecks versus the Dubai Dragons has a nice ring to it

Never Forget was followed up "Saddam has yellow cake!1!"

That monumental crime is oddly forgotten by these pundits draped in flags.

It's not a matter of, but when. It's happening. Eventually. Too much money to turn down for the sake of politics.

I’m already having issues with being an NFL fan because of the lifelong injuries and brain damage. If the Saudis buy a team, I’ll be done. They murdered a US journalist who was born there and was critical of Muhammed Bone Saw. They have a Trump-like attitude about ignoring human rights. There's no way I’ll have any part of giving them legitimacy.

If we can get off fossil fuels and drive electric cars they’ll no longer have any leverage over our nation.

The NFL would sell a franchise to Satan himself if he ponied up enough money.

nflfan51 says:June 7, 2023 at 9:54 amA competing league? How many of those have worked? ONE!

AFL and USFL during the 80's. If they can get the top college players and guarantee contracts, top vets etc.

ann89103 says:June 7, 2023 at 11:15 am

Now, if the NFL ever decided to create an International League, presumably based in Europe, then I could see foreign investors.

I guess no one remembers NFL europe. That was an international league based in Europe during the 1990's early 2000's. Kurt Warner played there. Europeans don't care about American football just futbol aka soccer.

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