In 1979, the late Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers for the tidy sum of $67.5 million. That price tag included the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and The Forum, where the Lakers played their home games, in Inglewood.
That season the Lakers would win the first of 10 championships under Buss’ watch.
They would play in six other NBA Finals for a total of 16 Western Conference championships in 31 seasons.
Buss passed away in 2013 and the team remained in the control of the Buss family. Until two weeks ago, when the team was sold for $10 billion.
That’s roughly $4 billion more than the last NBA franchise was sold for, the Boston Celtics, just last year.
Those are the two most iconic franchises in the NBA.
Just imagine what one of the most iconic NFL franchises would go for if it went on the market. In Jerry Jones’ case, he shouldn’t just be imagining it.
He should be actively making it happen.
Time To Cash Out
Tyler Webb runs a newsletter that focuses on the business side of sports. He put together this graphic about how much each NFL team was sold for and when the last time they were sold.
How much each #NFL team last sold for.
(collab w/ @ASCSportsMedia) pic.twitter.com/HoIzNxPyOg
— Tyler Webb (@tylermwebb) July 3, 2024
The Washington Commanders were the last NFL team to be purchased.
They went for nearly the same amount as the Celtics did last year and the Commanders’ sale went through two years ago.
If Washington commanded a $6 billion price tag, just imagine what the Cowboys, with AT&T Stadium attached, would go for today.
I think Jones could get $15 billion easily. And that number should have Jones searching for his real estate agent’s phone number in his contacts.
Jones, as you will note in the graphic above, bought the Cowboys and Texas Stadium back in 1989 for a mere $140 million.
He’s got three Lombardi trophies to show for it. Not quite the resume that Buss put together, but nothing to be ashamed of either.
Nothing Left To Prove
With those three championships in tow, Jones could leave the NFL with his head held high and know that the next 10 generations of his family wouldn’t have to do anything for the rest of their lives.
The only reason why he’s hanging around is his ego. He has to prove to the world that it was he, and not Jimmy Johnson, that built that 1990s dynasty.
It’s the only reason why he won’t give up being the General Manager.
But at some point he must realize this: That boat sailed long ago.
After 29 seasons, and it will be 30 after Dallas fails to make the Super Bowl again in 2025, there is abundant evidence that Johnson was the football guy.
Jones was, and still is, the money guy. It’s time, Jerry Jones, to take the money and run.
Sell the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, the sooner, the better.
