Mark Davis (American football)
Mark M Davis (born May 18, 1955) is an American businessman and sports franchise owner. He is the controlling owner and managing general partner of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and the owner of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[2][3][4] His father, Al, was the principal owner of the Raiders from 1972 until his death in 2011. Upon his father's death, Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited ownership of the Raiders, with Davis taking over as operating head of the franchise. As of February 2023, his estimated net worth was $1.9 billion.[5]
Mark Davis
Businessman and sports franchise owner
2011–present
Principal owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and Las Vegas Aces
Early years[edit]
Davis was born on May 18, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York, to Al and Carol Davis.[1][6][7] He is a graduate of California State University, Chico.[6]
Prior to inheriting co-ownership of the team, Davis was involved in the retail part of the Raiders' business where he helped develop their Raider Image stores. He also spent time in the Raiders equipment department where in 1986, he developed the muff-style hand warmer for football.[8] In 1980, Davis represented Raiders player Cliff Branch in contract negotiations with the team which resulted in a deal that included an annuity (active until Branch's death in 2019) and got Mark kicked out of his father's house for being too close to the players. He later lived with Branch when the team moved to Los Angeles.[9]
Professional sports[edit]
Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders[edit]
Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited the team after the death of his father, Al Davis, in 2011.[10][11] Mark and Carol own a 47 percent share of the Raiders through Al's company, A. D. Football, Inc.; the stake is contractually structured to give them controlling interest. Mark took over his father's old post of managing general partner and became operating head of the franchise.[12] He controls the Raiders' day-to-day operations and represents the Raiders at owners' meetings.
Personal life[edit]
Davis says he is a food connoisseur and has said that his favorite restaurants include Dan Tana's in Los Angeles, California, Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Florida, and P.F. Chang's.[36] Davis is known for his signature bowl haircut and for driving a 1997 Dodge Caravan SE which is outfitted with a bubble-top Mark III conversion kit as well as a VCR mounted to the ceiling.[37][38]
Davis donated $10,000 to the Gridiron PAC between 2016 and 2017.[39] In June 2022, Davis donated $1 million to the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District to help fortify the schools following the Robb Elementary School shooting after talking to former Raiders player Vann McElroy who lives in Uvalde.[40]
