Mark Davis (American football)
Mark Davis | |
---|---|
Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | |
Alma mater | California State University, Chico |
Occupation(s) | Businessman and sports franchise owner |
Years active | 2011–present |
Known for | Principal owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and Las Vegas Aces |
Parent(s) | Al Davis Carol Davis |
Awards | 2022 WNBA Champion |
Mark M Davis (born May 18, 1955) is an American businessman and sports franchise owner. He is the controlling owner and managing general partner of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and the owner of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[2][3][4] His father, Al, was the principal owner of the Raiders from 1972 until his death in 2011. Upon his father's death, Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited ownership of the Raiders, with Davis taking over as operating head of the franchise. As of February 2023, his estimated net worth was $1.9 billion.[5]
Early years
Davis was born on May 18, 1955, in
Prior to inheriting co-ownership of the team, Davis was involved in the retail part of the Raiders' business where he helped develop their Raider Image stores. He also spent time in the Raiders equipment department where in 1986, he developed the muff-style hand warmer for football.[8] In 1980, Davis represented Raiders player Cliff Branch in contract negotiations with the team which resulted in a deal that included an annuity (active until Branch's death in 2019) and got Mark kicked out of his father's house for being too close to the players. He later lived with Branch when the team moved to Los Angeles.[9]
Professional sports
Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders
Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited the team after the death of his father, Al Davis, in 2011.[10][11] Mark and Carol own a 47 percent share of the Raiders through Al's company, A. D. Football, Inc.; the stake is contractually structured to give them controlling interest. Mark took over his father's old post of managing general partner and became operating head of the franchise.[12] He controls the Raiders' day-to-day operations and represents the Raiders at owners' meetings.
Relocation to Las Vegas
Davis gained control of the team towards the end of the Raiders lease with the
In late February 2015, Davis announced that the Raiders would pursue a shared stadium in Carson, California, with Dean Spanos and the San Diego Chargers.[15] Davis' and Spanos' proposal directly competed with and eventually lost to Rams' owner Stan Kroenke and his proposed stadium in Inglewood.[16]
Until after the Carson vote Davis was also actively working towards a resolution in Oakland.[17] In an interview, he said "we are trying everything possible to get something done in Oakland right on the same exact site we're on right now".[17] However, after a dispute over rent in Oakland where the city raised the rent on the team after the Carson plan failed and due to lack of what Davis saw as a credible plan from Oakland, Davis began exclusive discussions with Las Vegas. He initially teamed up with Sheldon Adelson to get a stadium in Las Vegas though after funding was acquired for the stadium Adelson was cut out of the deal.[18] On March 27, 2017, the National Football League officially approved the Raiders move from Oakland to Las Vegas in a 31–1 vote, ensuring them a new stadium in the process.
Las Vegas Aces
On January 14, 2021, Davis agreed to purchase the
Philosophy and management style
In his ownership of the Raiders, Davis has focused on business matters while leaving on-field matters to the football operations staff. This form of management is in stark contrast to his father, who was well known as one of the most hands-on owners in professional sports. Al Davis became general manager of the Raiders in 1966 after returning from a short stint as AFL commissioner, and remained head of football operations after becoming principal owner in 1972. He exercised near-complete control over both business and football matters until his death.
In 2013, Mark Davis fired the Raiders public relations director because of a Sports Illustrated article that was critical of Davis' father. Davis stated that the director's replacement needed to understand the importance of his father's legacy and actively protect it.[24]
In his ownership of the Aces, Davis has focused on business matters while also dabbling in team operation matters when necessary.
On domestic violence in the NFL
Davis spoke out publicly on the issue of
On social justice and player protests
Davis has spoken out publicly on the controversial
In May 2018, Davis abstained from an NFL owner resolution on the anthem protests that called for players to stand or stay in the locker room until after the anthem is played or face a team fine for kneeling, locking arms, or raising their fist. Davis abstained along with San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York after speaking out on social justice issues to the other owners.[29][30]
In April 2022, Davis stated that he would welcome Colin Kaepernick to the team with open arms if general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels wished to sign him stating that he believed in him and that "he sacrificed a lot of the things that he could've been doing in his life to get a message across about police violence and equity and inclusion in America, and I stand by that."[31]
On the Washington Commanders workplace conduct investigation
Davis has spoken out in favor of a written report of the
On player pay and accommodations in the WNBA
Davis has spoken out in favor of increased pay and better accommodations for players in the WNBA. In response to criticisms of WNBA player salaries due to a low league salary cap and what is considered sub-standard league accommodations from Aces player Liz Cambage after Davis signed Aces head coach Becky Hammon to the most lucrative head coaching contract in WNBA history worth over $1 million Davis stated "We have to be paying these women commensurate to what their abilities are and what they're doing. On the front office side and the coaching side, there is no salary cap. Becky Hammon didn't want to be a million-dollar coach. But I wanted her to be a million-dollar coach. Because I thought that she would be, in a sense, when the American Football League started, they had a television contract. And they had Joe Namath. And Joe Namath had the $400,000 contract and he sparked the imagination of everybody that 'This league is real.' "I felt that giving Becky Hammon the million-dollar contract ... would then show everybody that there is value here. Liz Cambage kind of came out with a statement, and I agree 100 percent with what she says. That the players do deserve more money. That they don't need to be flying on commercial flights. ... I agree with all of those things and those are things that the Las Vegas Aces are going to be champions of, and that we're going to grow for the good of everybody in this league."[35]
Personal life
Davis says he is a food connoisseur and has said that his favorite restaurants include
Davis donated $10,000 to the Gridiron
Awards and honors
- 2022 WNBA Champion (as owner of the Las Vegas Aces)
- 2023 WNBA Champion (as owner of the Las Vegas Aces)
References
- ^ Charleston Post and Courier. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
- ^ "Davis family will keep ownership of Raiders, executive says". National Football League. October 8, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ Poole, Monte (January 10, 2012). "Monte Poole: Did Mark Davis make the call on Hue Jackson's firing?". Bay Area News Group. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013.
- ^ Williamson, Bill (January 6, 2012). "Mark Davis knows his role in Oakland". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012.
- ^ "Mark Davis Profile". Forbes. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ The San Francisco Chronicle. p. B-9. Archived from the originalon October 11, 2011.
- ^ Sapakoff, Gene (September 6, 2020). "Sapakoff: Raiders owner Mark Davis corrects Wikipedia on Charleston, Citadel ties". Post and Courier. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Keown, Tim (October 14, 2014). "Just live up to your dad's name and solve the NFL's L.A. problem, baby!". ESPN. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ Gutierrez, Paul (January 9, 2012). "Prepping for Tuesday's Raiders media conference". Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012.
- ^ "Statement from Raiders owner Mark Davis". Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area. January 10, 2012. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
- ^ Dickey, Glenn (January 5, 2012). "Oakland Raiders in need of major front-office makeover". The San Francisco Examiner. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012.
- ^ "Raiders owner Mark Davis admits meeting in San Antonio". USA Today. Associated Press. July 30, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Q&A with Raiders owner Mark Davis". ESPN. September 8, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Chargers, Raiders will jointly pursue an NFL stadium in Carson". Los Angeles Times. February 20, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Stan Kroenke ready to show NFL owners detailed Inglewood stadium plans". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "Mark Davis: We're trying everything to get Oakland stadium deal". National Football League. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Sin City or Bust: How the Raiders went Vegas, baby". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Mark Davis, Raiders owner, agrees to purchase Las Vegas Aces WNBA team". KTNV. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ "WNBA approves Raiders owner Mark Davis' purchase of Aces". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Mark Davis building Aces training facility in Henderson". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "New Aces training facility 'setting a standard for women's sports'". Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Sources: San Antonio Spurs' Becky Hammon nears deal with WNBA's Las Vegas Aces". ESPN.com. December 31, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "Raiders' Mark Davis: 'Reggie's fine'". ESPN. June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ a b Cindy Boren (September 18, 2014). "Raiders owner Mark Davis says he can solve the NFL's domestic-violence crisis". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Mark Davis is not happy Raiders used as Greg Hardy's leverage". Yahoo Sports. March 13, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ Peterson, Anne M. (May 7, 2000). "Former Raider Star Biletnikoff Honors Deceased Daughter". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Mark Davis: 'I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform'". Silver And Black Pride. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ "Mark Davis abstained from owner vote on anthem resolution, spoke up on social justice issues". Silver And Black Pride. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ "Raiders' Mark Davis confirms he abstained from anthem vote". The Mercury News. May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ "Raiders' Davis strongly believes in Kap, knows QB deserves chance". RSN. April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
- ^ Keim, John. "Who is Beth Wilkinson? Lawyer leading Washington NFL team's investigation has high-profile history". Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
- ^ Hobson, Will; Clarke, Liz; Reinhard, Beth; Maske, Mark (July 1, 2021). "NFL fines Washington Football Team $10 million; Tanya Snyder to run operations for now". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ "Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis says 'people deserve' a written report of Washington Football Team investigation". ESPN.com. October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- ^ "Aces owner Mark Davis says he agrees '100 percent' with Liz Cambage's WNBA criticism". sports.yahoo.com. February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ "The TK Show – Mark Davis – EP04A". SoundCloud. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ^ Wickersham, Seth; Van Natta Jr., Don (April 13, 2017). "Sin City Or Bust". ABC News. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
- ^ Keown, Tim (October 14, 2014). "Just live up to your dad's name and solve the NFL's L.A. problem, baby!". ESPN. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
- ^ "Get to know Mark Davis, the Oakland Raiders' owner". Sports Illustrated. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Scott, Jelani. "NFL Owner Donating $1 Million to Uvalde School District". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
Further reading
- Kawakami, Tim (January 11, 2012). "Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis makes good first impression". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- Profile piece on Mark Davis done in 2014 from ESPN
External links
- Media related to Mark Davis (American football) at Wikimedia Commons