Rumours that YouTuber MrBeast had bought the NFL have been debunked after the social media star's video claiming the purchase was revealed as a promotional stunt.
In a clip posted on Wednesday, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, appeared alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to announce a 'historic first' for the league. The video, which has amassed over four million views, suggested MrBeast had acquired the NFL and would implement changes such as adding a YouTuber to each of the 32 teams.
However, the announcement was a marketing ploy to promote YouTube's exclusive free stream of Friday's game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil. The NFL is not owned by a single person; each team is owned by an individual, a group, or, in the case of the Green Bay Packers, a non-profit organisation.
The league does not permit corporate ownership, and any prospective buyer would need to purchase all 32 teams individually, costing hundreds of billions of dollars. The cheapest team, the Cincinnati Bengals, is valued at around $4 billion, while MrBeast's net worth is estimated at $1 billion.
