Tim Mara transformed a mere $500 gamble into a multibillion-dollar sports empire. By establishing the New York Football Giants, he cemented his legacy as a foundational pillar of the National Football League.
Football Bio
July 29, 1897 – New York City, New York – Tim Mara, Pro Football Hall of Fame, who was the owner and founder of the New York Football Giants, was born.
Mr. Mara purchased the Giants’ franchise on a whim in 1925 for the sum of $500.
Tim Marra would often say that he founded the Giants on brute strength and ignorance.
He attributed the strength of his players and his ignorance of the game to his lack of knowledge, as he didn’t know much about the game because he had never seen a football game when the NFL president at the time, Joe Carr, talked him into buying the franchise.
Carr felt sure that football would succeed if it had a New York City outlet.
Mara later told reporters that he was willing to risk the $500, and that’s what he did.
Not a bad investment, as the Giants were reported to be worth $3.9 billion, with a B, in 2019, according to at least one source.
It did not start well, as Mr. Mara suffered significant financial setbacks that first year.
That is, until the Bears came into town with a rookie named Red Grange to play the Giants.
That one game brought people through the stadium gates, and the Giants gained traction in attendance and in the financial books over 30 seasons at the helm.
Marra watched his Giants teams claim three NFL titles and win their division eight times, according to the profootballhof.com website.
The club’s founder turned over the control of his team to his two sons, Wellington and John, during the 1940s.
Tim Mara reshaped the landscape of professional sports with his daring investment. He built the New York Giants into a perennial powerhouse, leaving behind a family legacy that continues to drive the NFL today.
Verified Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Inducted as a charter member in the inaugural Class of 1963.
- NFL Championships: Won four NFL Championships as the owner of the Giants in 1927, 1934, 1938, and 1956.
- Division Titles: Captured eight NFL Eastern Division titles during his tenure (1933–1935, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946).
- New York Giants Ring of Honor: Inducted to celebrate his foundational role and success with the franchise.
- League Innovator: Instrumental in the development of the NFL draft system and pioneer for broadcasting NFL games on television.
