ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The chance to rub shoulders with quarterback Josh Allen and use their Toronto connections to broaden the Buffalo Bills’ reach into Canada’s largest city wasn’t the only thing on the minds of former NBA stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady and soccer’s Jozy Altidore in purchasing a minority share of the franchise.
More importantly, the trio of successful Black athletes view their crossover sport endeavor as an opportunity to increase diversity at the NFL ownership level.
“It’s cool to be investing in an NFL franchise, but this is inspiring to so many people that look like us,” McGrady said during a Zoom call featuring all three on Friday.
“This is a barometer for us to do our jobs and be a stand-in for the next phase of ownership, whether it’s minority, whether it’s majority, whether it’s an individual,” he added. “It’s up to us to really carry this the right way and setting an example for the next people coming along.”
Carter went so far as to mention the impact sisters Venus and Serena Williams made on Black people in tennis.
“Diversity and inclusion is something that organizations and businesses are trying to accomplish,” Carter said. “It’s not just young Black kids and Black girls or whatever, it’s for all kids. It’s possible if you do it the right way.”
Carter and McGrady are cousins who were Toronto Raptors teammates and both inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The 35-year-old Altidore is regarded among the top American soccer players of his generation, and was the MLS Cup MVP in helping Toronto FC win its title in 2017.
They’re among 10 limited partners who were approved by the NFL earlier this month to purchase a noncontrolling minority share of the Bills, with team owners Terry and Kim Pegula maintaining about 79% of the team. The trio of athlete’s stake represents about a combined 4%.
The NFL’s loosening of rules allowing franchises to add limited partners has brought an increasing number of minorities to the owner' table. The Williams sisters own shares in the Miami Dolphins while Magic Johnson recently purchased a stake in the Washington Commanders.
Jacksonville’s Shad Khan, who is of Pakistani descent, was the NFL’s first minority owner, followed by Kim Pegula, who is from South Korea.
“You’re talking about a kid that’s come from challenging upbringings, right?” McGrady said, reflecting on the difficulties he faced growing up in central Florida, and the opportunities sports brought.
“So to be in in this position, I’m so proud of what I had to overcome and being able to do that, to set an example for a lot of kids that look like me,” he added. “And I’m sure Jozy and Vince could tell that same story. But this is pretty freaking cool at the end of the day.”
The idea of purchasing a share of the Bills was first prompted by McGrady, which led to Carter attending NFL owners meetings in March, when he met with Terry Pegula. The three then joined forces and went through a vetting process, which included attending the Bills game against Jacksonville in September.
Being a part owner of the Bills is a dream come true especially for Altidore, who became a fan of the team while playing in Toronto from 2015-21. He recalled how thousands of Torontonians would make the cross-border trip to Buffalo even when the Bills were struggling amid a 17-year playoff drought that ended in 2017.
“I generally got to watch that team grow through good and bad and watch their popularity grow,” Altidore said. “To now marry the two, I mean, yeah, I couldn’t be happier.”
The Bills are already popular across southern Ontario, where they draw more than 15% of their season ticket base. The three new minority owners believe they can grow the franchise’s profile across the region further, especially at a time when the Bills are preparing to open a new stadium for the start of the 2026 season.
McGrady laughed when recalling how he and Carter helped introduce the NBA to Toronto some 25 years ago.
“That was a challenge. I mean, we had 15,000-16,000 in there and you do something spectacular and it’s quiet. They didn’t know what the hell just happened,” McGrady said. “We did a great job of igniting that fan base. Now it’s time to do it on the other side, but with a different sport.”
Carter remembered when Bills hall of famers Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith would sit courtside at Raptors games.
“I’m hoping we can create new fans for the Bills not only because of what we’ve accomplished, but to open their eyes to the Bills and see what they’re doing,” Carter said of the five-time defending AFC East champions. “What better time to become a Bills fan than right now?”
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Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula walks in a hallway at the NFL football owners meeting Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
FILE FILE - Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore reacts during an MLS soccer match, Oct. 30, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
FILE FILE - Tracy McGrady attends the second half of the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh, File)
FILE FILE - Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Vince Carter speaks at a hall of fame news conference at Mohegan Sun, Oct. 12, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
