Eli Manning would like to be an NFL team owner, but he’s not sure if he would look beyond the only team he’s ever played for — the New York Giants.

“It’s of interest, it’s just got to be the right fit,” he told Front Office Sports, adding that he isn’t sure when the opportunity will arise because “I don’t think the Giants are going to be for sale anytime soon.” 

As for whether he would buy in on another team, Manning is less enamored with “the idea of joining another team that you have no history with.”

• Manning is in his second season hosting the Giants-focused “The Eli Manning Show.” 
• He believes his brother Peyton Manning might beat him to ownership, noting, “Denver’s going through some stuff,” and that Peyton played for the Broncos and still lives there. 
• Eli earned $252.3 million in salary during his playing career, while Peyton reeled in $248.7 million.

Busy Retirement

Manning has kept busy since retiring as a player. In August, he became a part-owner of the NWSL’s NY/NJ Gotham FC. In January he became a partner at private equity firm Brand Velocity Partners. 

In his latest move, Manning is teaming with Quaker Oats on a campaign to raise $500,000 to fight hunger.

After his Chad Powers tryout with Penn State went viral, Peyton’s Omaha Productions filed trademarks for “Chad Powers” and “Think Fast. Run Fast.”

“We’ll see if there’s a good idea for the legend of Chad to live on,” said Manning.

When it comes to BeIn Media Group, Saudi Arabia may go from banning to buying.

The nation’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, is considering purchasing a stake in the broadcaster, which is based in and owned by 2022 World Cup host Qatar. 

U.S. private equity firms are also reportedly interested in the media company.

• Saudi Arabia banned BeIn in 2017 due to troubled relations with Qatar. The dispute delayed the PIF’s majority stake purchase of Premier League club Newcastle United. 
• The ban was lifted in 2021 after the two nations smoothed things over.
• BeIn Sports’ suite of sports rights includes the Premier League, Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, and the Asian Football Confederation in the Middle East and North Africa.

BeIn chairperson Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the president of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. The company also owns 51% of Hollywood studio Miramax.

Piece of the Puzzle

A media relationship with its neighbor would provide a valuable partner for Saudi Arabia as it pushes deeper into sports. 

The PIF backs LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in a to-be-built resort city called Trojena in the country’s mountainous region — part of the country’s $500 billion futuristic NEOM project.

The country also aspires to host the 2030 World Cup and the Olympics.

Bang Energy’s parent company Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been given a lifeline after it filed for bankruptcy on Bang’s 10-year anniversary earlier this month.

A group of banks — to which Bang already owes more than $350 million — put up $100 million for a credit line when the company filed, and on Thursday, a bankruptcy judge said Bang would be able to tap $34 million of the sum.

The energy drink and fitness supplement company reportedly owes more than $500 million to rival Monster Beverage and California juice maker Orange Bang, as well as $115 million to PepsiCo Inc., which had an exclusive distribution deal with Bang until the latter terminated it eight months after it was signed.

In a bankruptcy hearing on Thursday, Monster reportedly raised concerns that the loan would hurt lower-ranking creditors, and in court papers, the company’s lawyers addressed details of the financing that could halt any potential bids for Bang.

• Bang recently lost a false advertising lawsuit to Monster.
• The pair are also in a battle over trademark infringement. 

The judge and Bang’s lawyers said the concerns raised by Monster would be handled at a separate hearing before Bang is allowed to draw the remaining funds.

Bang’s Plan

In a statement earlier this month, Bang CEO Jack Owoc referenced a new distribution network for when PepsiCo stops shipping Bang this month — and claimed he’s committed to keeping the business running.

“We’re coming like a freight train and cannot be stopped,” he said.

The NFL has one more big play to make with its media rights — but striking a deal is proving more complicated than simply picking a bidder.

The league intends to select a streaming provider for NFL Sunday Ticket this year, but exclusivity deals with its linear broadcasters have introduced challenges, per CNBC.

• Apple is believed to be the frontrunner for the out-of-market games package — the NFL is seeking around $2.5 billion annually.
• The league’s broadcast deals with CBS and Fox include exclusive access to local games, which has helped dictate the networks’ purchases of local TV stations.
• Those deals also reportedly mandate that Sunday Ticket retain a high price tag for consumers.

Apple would prefer a deal similar to the 10-year, $2.5 billion one it has with Major League Soccer, to which it holds global rights. Sunday Ticket is currently a U.S.-only product.

DirecTV holds the rights for Sunday Ticket through this season for an annual $1.5 billion. The company has historically lost money on the package. Amazon, Disney, and Google have also shown interest in the product.

Package Deal

The NFL is looking to pair Sunday Ticket with a stake in NFL Media, which includes NFL.com and cable networks NFL Network and RedZone. 

The league may still adjust course and sell that stake separately, particularly if it hinders a deal for Sunday Ticket.