Who is Man Utd and Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-chairman and owner Joel Glazer?
THE Billionaire Glazer family is well known for investing in sporting franchises on both sides of the Atlantic.
Here we take a look at the life and business ventures of Joel Glazer.
Who is Joel Glazer?
Joel Glazer was born on March 31, 1967, in Rochester, New York, US.
He has four brothers — Avram, Kevin, Bryan and Edward — and a sister named Darcie.
Joel attended the American University in Washington DC, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 1989.
He is married to clinical psychologist Angela, and the couple has two children — a son named Dylan and a daughter called Zoey.
How long has Joel Glazer owned Manchester United and Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
In 1995, American tycoon Malcolm Glazer paid a then-record $192million for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Glazer family has owned the franchise ever since, and according to Forbes it’s now worth an estimated $4billion.
Joel is the co-chairman of the NFL outfit along with his brothers Bryan and Edward.
Under the siblings’ tenure, the Bucs won their first Super Bowl in 2003 — going on to lift the game’s biggest title once again in 2021.
They also opened an impressive new stadium, where home team touchdowns are celebrated by numerous cannons firing from a 103-foot replica pirate ship.
Malcolm also bought a controlling share in Manchester United — expanding his business empire on this side of the Atlantic.
Between 2003 and 2005, Malcolm acquired ownership of United in a £790m takeover, gradually buying out shareholders.
Joel has been the co-chairman of Man U, along with his brother Avram, since 2005.
British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s Ineos group bought a quarter of the Glazer family’s 68 per cent stake in the Red Devils in February 2024.
Ratcliffe has been in charge of “football operations” at the club since then.
Rather than requesting it, the Man Utd board asked the businessman to assume control of the footballing side of the business.
A statement released at the time read: “As part of the transaction, Ineos has accepted a request by the board to be delegated responsibility for the management of the club’s football operations.”
Over the past 20 years, the Glazer’s ownership of the Premier League team has been a point of controversy.
There have been repeated fan protests ever since the American family took charge.
A great many Utd supporters feel that the club moved away from its local, traditional values.
What else does Joel Glazer own?
Joel has been active in the Tampa Bay community through the Glazer Family Foundation, which IS dedicated to helping children in the local area.
Among its many achievements, the charity constructed the Glazer Children’s Museum in downtown Tampa, which opened in 2010.
Along with his brothers Bryan and Edward, Joel is a co-owner of First Allied Corporation — a real estate holding company that owns and rents out US shopping malls.
In 2021, Joel was one of the key figures attempting to set up the breakaway European Super League, before being forced to pull out due to the severe backlash from fans.
In a statement on United’s website, he apologised to fans, saying: “We fully accept that the Super League was not the right way to go about it.
“In seeking to create a more stable foundation for the game, we failed to show enough respect for its deep-rooted traditions — promotion, relegation, the pyramid — and for that we are sorry.
“This is the world’s greatest football club and we apologise unreservedly for the unrest caused during these past few days.
“It is important for us to put that right.”
And in July 2024, reports emerged that the Glazers are looking to get involved in the UK cricket market.
The family is among the potential parties who could invest in a Hundred franchise, according to The Telegraph.
While the report doesn’t mention a particular team they are interested in purchasing, they might decide to stay close to home and throw their support behind Manchester Originals.
The side plays out of the Old Trafford cricket ground — just 800 metres down the road from the football stadium.