About 11 days ago, we reported that the New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and his siblings are looking to transfer their remaining ownership stake in the franchise to the family’s next generation. While the move gains traction amid the Chairman’s ties to s– offender Jeffrey Epstein, the truth is quite different.

The March 11 memo for this change states that Steve and his siblings, Jonathan Tisch and Laurie Tisch, have already transferred a part of their stakes to their kids in 2023 and 2024. So, this could as well be their succession plan for years now. But shall we suggest the devil might be in the details? The latest enumeration report’s value and the urgency in the move indicate that the Tischs might be fearing their stake in the franchise.

According to CNBC’s Mike Ozanian, the Giants are valued at $10.8 billion in the proposed transactions in which the Tisch siblings will sell their remaining 23.1 percent shares in the NFL team to separate trusts for the benefit of their respective children. The calculations, with this, put that portion alone at roughly $2.5 billion. But it’s not only the amount that raises eyebrows, but also what Steve Tisch and his siblings are losing with the stakes.

Once the NFL’s finance committee approves the move, the three will not have any interest in the team. Now, since he is not accused of any crime, Steve Tisch is expected to remain chairman of the Giants’ board. Jonathan, who is the team’s treasurer, and Laurie, who holds a spot on the board, will also retain their roles. The groundwork for such a move, too, has been in place. But giving up 23 percent in one go indicates urgency. If anything, several team executives and owners will be expecting an update on the matter ahead of this month’s league meetings in Arizona.

Steve Tisch, the Giants, and the NFL declined to comment on the latest news. However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is focused on investigating the matter under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. The same mentions that any NFL personnel, be it players, coaches, or others associated with the game, are obligated to uphold “high character.” The policy states that they have to refrain from “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL.”

Accordingly, the NFL will conduct a separate investigation through attorney Lisa Friel into Tisch’s case to conclude their decision, instead of going by what the Epstein files suggest at the moment, as they do with every personal conduct case. In case the conduct does not result in a criminal conviction, but the league holds him liable, he will be subject to discipline.

But by transferring any interest in the team to his family, Tisch is safe, and so is their family’s legacy with the Giants. Of course, the league cannot hold the father or an uncle of the team’s owners to account for their relation to Epstein.

The Tisch family’s ties to the team date back to 1991, when Steve’s father, Preston Tisch, purchased a 50 percent stake in the franchise from the Mara family. That value reduced by five percent when last year in October, the Koch family bought a 10 percent share of the team at a $10.3 billion valuation. 

The Tischs transferred a portion of their remaining stakes among the five children, dropping to the current 23.1 percent. However, they want to give away their stakes now.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during a news conference before the Super Bowl last month that the league would “look at all the facts” regarding Tisch’s emails with Epstein.

“We’ll continue to follow any of the facts that come up, and we’ll determine whether we open an investigation or not based on those facts,” Goodell said.

Meanwhile, his connection to Epstein is only putting more focus on the ownership.

Did the emergence of his link to Epstein prompt Steve Tisch to make the $2.5B move?

In January, emails linking the two surfaced, with Tisch reportedly mentioned nearly 440 times in them. The oldest of those emails dates back to 2013, which was a year after Epstein had been legally registered as a Level 3 s– offender.

The content in the emails reportedly included suggestive language with Steve Tisch and Epstein discussing meetings with women. No criminal wrongdoing has been alleged against Tisch despite the emails. To defend himself, Tisch issued a firm statement distancing himself from Epstein.

“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments,” Steve Tisch’s statement read. “I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

Now, if the ownership transfer is approved, Tisch would technically no longer be part of the ownership group. But would that end the NFL’s interest in the matter? NFL ownership history suggests that such a situation isn’t unprecedented.

In 1998, while Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., the owner of the San Francisco 49ers back then, was facing a bribery scandal, he transferred control of the franchise to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York. 

The NFL has not yet signaled any action against Tisch over the alleged connection to Epstein, but the Tisch family appears to be preparing for any possible outcome.