Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been linked with buying or investing in English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, which has become UK’s NFL home
Rumors that Jerry Jones is intending to buy English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been put to bed.
It has been reported that the Dallas Cowboys owner has been exploring a deal to purchase the north London club. The club has a long-standing relationship with the NFL and annually hosts games at the 62,850-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Jones, one of the richest men in the US who is believed to be worth $16billion, has been linked to Tottenham before.
One of the highest-profile owners in the NFL, Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989 for $140million, with the franchise winning the Super Bowl three times in the 1990s but not since. He has a track record for getting involved in other sports, recently striking a deal with IndyCar owner Roger Penske about holding a street race on a course near the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Rumors this week claimed that Jones was flying into London to negotiate a mega-money deal for the club, which is valued at $4.7bn (£3.75bn). However, according to the Daily Mail and Football London the current reports are wide of the mark, meaning the 82-year-old billionaire will not be buying or investing in the club.
Spurs are open to investment, though, and earlier this year, chairman Daniel Levy confirmed that the club was in talks with “prospective investors” about selling a stake. In a statement accompanying the club’s financial results for the year ending June 30, 2023, Levy said fresh investment was needed to reach its “long-term potential”.
Levy, renowned for being a super-tough negotiator, said: “To capitalise on our long-term potential, to continue to invest in the teams and undertake future capital projects, the Club requires a significant increase in its equity base.
“The Board and its advisors, [investment bank] Rothschild & Co, are in discussions with prospective investors. Any recommended investment proposal would require the support of the Club’s shareholders.”
In September, Levy told Bloomberg that he had a duty to “consider anything anyone may want to propose.” At the time, it was reported that the talks revolved around selling a minority stake rather than a full sale and that he had “no real interest” in giving up his role as chairman.
Spurs are owned by investment company ENIC, whose managing director is Levy. Despite being one of the biggest clubs in England, their trophy room is bare, to the frustration of their fans, who have accused the owners of lacking ambition.
However, off the pitch, Spurs have been a roaring success since moving to their current stadium in 2019, with gameday revenue trebling while sponsorship, merchandise sales and events brought in $289m in the last financial year. As a result, Spurs’ financial worth has rocketed, with Levy reportedly valuing the club at around $3bn.