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).

Davis was born on May 18, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York, to Al and Carol Davis.

He is a graduate of California State University, Chico.

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.

Davis gained control of the team towards the end of the Raiders lease with the Oakland Coliseum, a facility that dates back to 1965 and had multiple issues due to its age.

It was also at the time the only facility that still housed both a Major League Baseball and NFL team, a major point of contention for both leagues.

As such, Davis put himself in charge of an effort to construct a new stadium for the Raiders, an issue that his father Al was never able to solve in his tenure as owner.

He initially stated a desire to keep the Raiders in Oakland (preferably on the Coliseum site) or the immediate area.

Due to the lack of a stadium plan, Davis began to communicate with representatives in other cities such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Las Vegas.

Al Davis became general manager of the Raiders in 1966 after returning from a short stint as AFL commissioner, and remained head of football operations after becoming principal owner in 1972.

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.

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.

He also spent time in the Raiders equipment department where in 1986, he developed the muff-style hand warmer for football.

Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited the team after the death of his father, Al Davis, in 2011.

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.

He controls the Raiders' day-to-day operations and represents the Raiders at owners' meetings.

In late February 2015, Davis announced that the Raiders would pursue a shared stadium in Carson, California, with Dean Spanos and the San Diego Chargers.

Davis' and Spanos' proposal directly competed with and eventually lost to Rams' owner Stan Kroenke and his proposed stadium in Inglewood.

Until after the Carson vote Davis was also actively working towards a resolution in Oakland.

In an interview, he said "we are trying everything possible to get something done in Oakland right on the same exact site we're on right now".

However, after a dispute over rent in Oakland where the city raised the rent on the team after the Carson plan failed and due to lack of what Davis saw as a credible plan from Oakland, Davis began exclusive discussions with Las Vegas.

He initially teamed up with Sheldon Adelson to get a stadium in Las Vegas though after funding was acquired for the stadium Adelson was cut out of the deal.

On March 27, 2017, the National Football League officially approved the Raiders move from Oakland to Las Vegas in a 31–1 vote, ensuring them a new stadium in the process.

On January 14, 2021, Davis agreed to purchase the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association from MGM Resorts International.

The purchase was approved by the WNBA and NBA on February 12, 2021.

Prior to owning the team, Davis had been an Aces' season ticket holder and a frequent attendee at home games.

Davis said that discussions to purchase the Aces began shortly after he remarked to MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle at a game that the players should get paid more.

Prior to making a formal bid, he had a meeting with Aces forward A'ja Wilson to gauge her thoughts about him taking over the team.

Shortly after the purchase of the team by Davis, ground was broken on a training facility for the Aces in Henderson next to the Raiders facility.

The 50,000 square foot facility which was the first of its kind in the WNBA, opened in April 2023 and houses the Aces’ practice facility, offices, training room, weight room, hydrotherapy space, physical therapy area, locker rooms, a lecture hall, player and alumni lounges, and an on-site day care center.

In May 2021, Davis hired former LSU Lady Tigers basketball head coach Nikki Fargas as team president.

On December 31, 2021, Becky Hammon was hired as head coach in a deal that made her the highest paid coach in the WNBA.

The Aces won the 2022 WNBA Finals in four games, bringing the franchise its first championship, Las Vegas its first professional sports championship, and Davis his first championship as a professional sports owner.

In his ownership of the Raiders, Davis has focused on business matters while leaving on-field matters to the football operations staff.

This form of management is in stark contrast to his father, who was well known as one of the most hands-on owners in professional sports.