The pages of history are filled with world-changing business deals that never fell through for one reason or the other. One such rumored deal was the partnership between NBA legend Magic Johnson and former NASCAR CEO Brian France to buy a Los Angeles-based NFL team together. Here’s a short brief of how close this came to being a reality.
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Back in 2005, Magic Johnson was the co-chairman of NASCAR’s Executive Steering Committee on Diversity. He fed the rumor mill that year by stating that he met France three or four times to discuss launching an NFL team and that he would be doing so again soon. However, NASCAR initially denied the occurrence of any such meeting in which solid business was discussed.
Johnson told USA Today, “It would be wonderful that Brian France would be interested in being a part-owner or owner in the Los Angeles franchise. He has the money, he has the marketing tools and he lives in L.A.”
This idea was opposed by NASCAR spokesperson Ramsey Poston. France himself denied the talk during the annual Media Tour in February.
He said, “Believe me when I tell you, there’s nothing coming. You’re not going to wake up in a month, or a year, or whatever and see that I’m owning, or my family’s owning any NFL team. I would be stunned if that were the case.”
The fuel that added mileage to this rumor was the contention that France wasn’t interested in his role as the CEO of NASCAR and was considering selling his shares to his uncle Jim.
Magic Johnson’s role in the NASCAR diversity program
In a career that proved rumors false, France served the role as the head of NASCAR from 2003 to 2018. He never got into NFL team ownership, but began an investment firm after retiring from stock car racing. Johnson, who played a huge role in this sequence, first got into the sport to help with diversifying the field.
He used his name and fame to popularize programs like Drive for Diversity. He also helped bring in members for the executive steering committee itself. One of his crucial roles was to serve as an advisor for NASCAR’s former Chief Operating Officer George Pyne. His initiatives attracted females and minorities to the sport.
He said at the time, “They’re trying to do the right thing and I want to be a part of it.” It was through the ball that he helped set in motion that drivers like Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, and Daniel Suarez made it into the top echelons of NASCAR.
