Bills Add Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter as Minority Owners

Vince Carter (15) of the Eastern Conference All-Stars laughs with Tracy McGrady (1) of the Western Conference All-Stars during the 54th All-Star Game, part of 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend at Pepsi Center in Denver on Feb. 20, 2005. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Buffalo Bills added two NBA Hall of Famers as limited owners.

NBA Hall of Famers Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter joined the team as minority owners at a meeting of NFL owners this week; the two greats confirmed the news Thursday in posts on social media. The Bills added 10 non-voting minority owners in total. The NFL also approved the sale of minority stakes in the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins.

“It’s with extreme gratitude that I fully embrace this moment and understand the gravity of this opportunity,” McGrady wrote in a post on social media platform X. “If you can dream it, you can live it and I hope my journey will inspire those who believe in and bet on themselves. Let’s Go Bills!”

“The Pegula family has given this Daytona Beach product an unbelievable opportunity that I do not take for granted,” Carter wrote in a post of his own. “Thank you to all the people behind the scenes that helped make this possible. My story is still being written and I thank [G]od every day for [H]is strength and guidance to [continue] to be able to go out there and get it because [H]e’s not finished with me yet.”

In an interview with NFL Network’s “The Insiders” Wednesday, Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula discussed how the addition of the two former Toronto Raptors icons would help the Bills expand their reach in the Canadian market.

“[They have] Toronto connections and they’re well respected up there,” said Pegula. “So it’s going to be fun working with them and they’re willing to help out, increase our business in Toronto with our Canadian friends.”

McGrady was drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 1997. Carter was drafted by the Raptors in 1998. The two played together until McGrady was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2000. The two are also second cousins. The Bills have a longstanding relationship with the city of Toronto, which is only 100 miles across the border from Buffalo.

Carter and McGrady were joined in the partnership by Jozy Altidore, a soccer player who won an MLS Championship with Toronto FC in 2017.

“Having played and won an MLS championship in nearby Toronto, I’ve been a huge Bills fan for many years,” Altidore said in a statement on the Bills’ website. “It’s always been a goal of mine to become part of professional sports ownership, so this opportunity to join the Buffalo Bills family is an incredible honor and dream come true. Thank you to the Pegulas for their leadership, everyone at One Bills Drive for their passion and the best fans in the league—Bills Mafia—for welcoming me into the huddle.”

The Bills also added private equity firm Arctos as a minority shareholder, one of the first-ever private equity investments in an NFL team.

Arctos is a sports marketing firm that leverages ownership stakes in sports teams to provide business and marketing solutions. According to its website, the firm has stakes in the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, and Sacramento Kings of the NBA; the Houston Astros, LA Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres of the MLB; the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New Jersey Devils of the NHL; the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team, Paris Saint-Germain F.C., SeatGeek, and others.

“This has been an incredible journey to add such an impressive and diverse group of limited partners along with a reputable private equity partner in Arctos that has an extensive track record of success with professional sports franchises,” Pegula said.

“They all have all achieved high levels of success in their respective industries and we’re grateful for their interest in our team, our sport, and the future of the Buffalo Bills. Most of them have a personal attachment with our team, Western New York or Southern Ontario which was a very important factor to me.”

The full list of investors includes, Arctos, Carter, McGrady, Altidore, Private equity investors Rob Palumbo, Theresia Gouw, Rob Ward, and Tom Burger, Bank of America executive Mike Joo, and beverage executive Sue McCollum.