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NBA legend Vince Carter amongst group set to secure minority stake in Bills

Vinsanity is coming to Western New York.

Kyle Silagyi

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He played a pivotal role in ingraining the sport of basketball into the cultural fabric of not only the city of Toronto, but Canada, as a whole, and it now looks as though he’s set to secure a minority stake in an NFL franchise located just across the pond.

Eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter is among the group of investors that, per Sports Business Journal, has agreed to purchase a combined 10.6% of the Buffalo Bills. Carter, alongside fellow NBA alumnus Tracy McGrady and former United States Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore, are a part of the Gridiron Capital-led bid spearheaded by Tom Burger, the group accounting for 1.4% of the 10.6% total share.

The trio of former athletes’ interest in owning a minority stake in the Bills was first tipped in late September when they attended Buffalo’s Week 3 Monday Night Football clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sportico reported in mid-October that the three were in talks to purchase a percentage of the team, with the most recent report disclosing that said talks have not only led to an agreement, but that they’ve partnered with Burger.

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Though McGrady and Altidore were successful and impactful professional athletes in their own right, Carter is perhaps the most notable name of the presumptive investors given just how box office he was in his prime. He’s perhaps the greatest dunker in NBA history, the ‘must watch’ nature of his game helping to popularize the then-recently established Toronto Raptors in Southern Ontario. He averaged over 23 points per game throughout parts of seven seasons in Toronto, going on to play for the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks as he constructed an immensely productive and, frankly, legendary career that resulted in his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. He had his No. 15 jersey retired by the Raptors in early November, becoming the first player in franchise history to receive the distinction.

McGrady, Carter’s cousin, was an uber-prolific player in his own right, earning seven All-Star nods throughout his 15-year NBA career. After starting his career alongside his cousin in Toronto, he rose to superstardom in Orlando, earning two NBA scoring titles with the Magic. He would go on to play elite-level basketball with the Houston Rockets before injuries would loom over the final years of his professional career.

Altidore is one of the most prolific scorers in USMNT history, scoring 42 goals in 115 caps (ranking third all-time). He suited up for nine clubs throughout his professional soccer career, notably scoring 62 goals in 139 games for MLS side Toronto F.C. from 2015 to 2021. Neither Carter, McGrady, nor Altidore appear to have any direct links to Buffalo or Western New York aside from their joint association with Toronto, a Canadian metropolis located roughly 100 miles from Buffalo.

The Athletic reported in mid-April that Bills owner Terry Pegula was open to selling as much as 25% of the franchise, with COO Pete Guelli telling The Buffalo News in June that outside interest had been high. Arctos Partners, a private investment firm, is set to purchase an additional 10% of the club alongside the combined 10.6% set to be acquired by the consortium of investors. Neither sale has been finalized or approved by the NFL, but Sports Business Journal reports that the league is expected to authorize the transactions.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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