In 1989 Dallas Cowboys were sold for $140 million to Jerry Jones. All the way back at that time this move wasn’t seen as much of a smart decision since the Cowboys used to lose $1 million on a monthly basis. However, Forbes now estimates that they are the world’s most valuable sports franchise with the worth standing at $4.2 billion.
Back in the eighties, everybody thought that it would be extremely bad for a wealthy businessman to buy the team because of their huge spending. One of those experts on the matter who believed it to be a wrong decision was no one other than the President of the USA, mister Donald Trump. In 1984 he stated in an interview with The New York Times that he turned down the opportunity to buy the Cowboys. He even went so far and questioned why would anyone be interested in that sort of business venture.
‘I could have bought an NFL team. There were three or four available – that still are available, including, of course, the Dallas Cowboys’ said President Trump. He went on to add: ‘I could have bought an NFL club for $40 million or $50 million, but it’s established and you would just see it move laterally. Not enough to create there.’
President Trump then decided to acquire the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League. Bright, however, bought the Cowboys from Clint Murchison for $85 million at the same time. Eventually, it turned out well for both President Trump and Bright. In the long run, these two businessmen made a profit. Bright sold the team to Jones and made a huge amount of money. Even though President Trump predicted that the Cowboys would bring down anyone who bought them, he was wrong.
He was so assured that he even said how he felt sorry ‘for the poor guy who is going to buy the Dallas Cowboys.’ He then went on to add: ‘It’s a no-win situation for him, because if he wins, well, so what, they’ve won through the years, and if he loses, which seems likely because they’re having troubles, he’ll be known to the world as a loser.’
