‘Doesn’t Apply to Owners,’ ‘But (Adam) Schefter and Robert Kraft Can Own It’ — Fans Call Out NFL’s Double Standards Over Saquon Barkley’s ‘Forced’ Business Move
· Yahoo Sports
Saquon Barkley had to walk away from his investment in Polymarket after learning that NFL rules prevented him from remaining involved.
However, the decision has left some fans scratching their heads, especially given the business ties other NFL owners and media figures have.
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Fans Question NFL’s Rules After Saquon Barkley’s Polymarket Exit
Speaking to Front Office Sports, Barkley confirmed that he was no longer involved with Polymarket after the NFL made its position clear.
“I am not in that right now,” Barkley said. “I am not allowed to be in that… So I kinda had to get out of that. I was in it before, but no bueno.”
Barkley’s comments have led fans to question whether the NFL applies the same rules to everyone connected to the league.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, for example, has held stakes in sports-gambling businesses, including DraftKings and Boom Entertainment. Kraft backed Boom Entertainment alongside ESPN insider Adam Schefter.
Kraft also served on the board of Apollo Global Management from 2014 to 2021, whose affiliated funds at the time held a controlling interest in Caesars Entertainment.
These business ties have prompted fans to ask why Barkley had to walk away from Polymarket while other NFL-connected figures have been involved in gambling-related ventures.
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One fan pointed to Schefter, writing, “Doesn’t apply to NFL employees or those with 10% ownership… like Adam Schefter.”
Schefter is employed by ESPN rather than the NFL. He invested in Underdog in 2021, although Front Office Sports reported in July that he was among the early investors who cashed in when the company was sold.
Another user called for the same rules to apply to other high-profile figures, writing, “Make Adam Schefter and Robert Kraft get rid of their Underdog and other prediction market holdings.”
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“Gonna assume this doesn’t apply to owners,” one X user wrote.
Another fan questioned why Schefter and Patriots owner Robert Kraft could still have such investments, writing, “But Schefter and Robert Kraft can own it. What (expletive).”
One user also asked, “Should Robert Kraft and Adam Schefter be forced to sell their interest in Boom Entertainment?”
Barkley has not disclosed how much he invested in Polymarket or how much he received when he sold his stake.
What Are the NFL’s Rules for Team Owners?
According to a previous explanation the league provided to “Pro Football Talk,” team owners can hold limited stakes in certain sports-betting businesses.
“There is no restriction on owning equity interests in casinos that have no sports betting. An owner would be able to hold up to 5 percent in entities that generate revenue from sports betting operations, provided the individual has no involvement in management of the company (such as an officer or director or in a management role),” the league explained.
The NFL allows team owners to hold limited stakes in certain sports-betting businesses, but it’s unclear how those rules apply to prediction markets.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also held a small stake in DraftKings, while Legends Hospitality, the company founded by the Cowboys and Yankees, was an early investor in DraftKings. His investment, however, dates back to the daily fantasy sports business before DraftKings expanded into sports betting.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.