Report: Giants sell 10% minority stake to billionaire Julia Koch
John Mara attends Giants training camp on July 28 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Ed Murray
Julia Koch and her family have agreed to purchase a minority stake in the Giants according to multiple reports. Bloomberg was first to report Koch’s agreement and Sportico added it’s a 10% stake in the franchise for a valuation of more than $10 billion.
A Giants spokesperson could not confirm the reports as of Wednesday evening.
In February, the Giants announced their interest in selling a small, non-controlling stake of the franchise. The Mara and Tisch families would retain majority ownership and full control over decision making.
It also means that for the first time since 1991, someone besides the Mara and Tisch families owns a piece of the Giants’ franchise. Both families own 50% of the Giants and according to Sportico, each family is selling an equal 5% stake to Koch.
Koch, 63, is the president of the David H. Koch Foundation, named for her late husband. In April, Forbes magazine listed her as the third richest woman in the world with a net worth of $74.2 billion.
In June 2024, Koch and her children David Jr., Mary Julia and John purchased a 15% stake in BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets, Liberty and Barclays Center.
The impending sale would also have to be approved at the NFL league meetings in October.
Last month, Forbes valued the Giants at $10.1 billion, the third most valuable NFL franchise behind the Cowboys ($13 billion) and Rams ($10.5 billion).
In August 2024, owners voted allow private equity firms to buy up to 10% stake in teams. The Bills and Dolphins sold ownership stakes in December to private equity and the Eagles sold an 8% stake to two family investment groups.
Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning was initially part of an ownership group looking to buy a stake in the team. In July, he told CNBC Sport that he opted out because it was “too expensive” and would provide conflict with his duties working at ESPN and the Manning Passing Academy.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
