Bickley: Why a Larry Fitzgerald ownership stake is the win-win the Cardinals desperately need

Cardinals’ fans have reached their breaking point. They have funded billboards, signed online petitions and enlisted prominent national media personalities to their cause.

They want Michael Bidwill to sell the team.

On the surface, it’s invigorating that anger has turned to activism. A downtrodden fan base has found its voice and is demanding better, as they should. A market of nearly six million people deserves better representation from its NFL franchise.

But let’s be real. The Bidwill family will never be ousted by force or public pressure. And there’s a much cleaner solution.

The Bidwill family should sell 10% of the team to a private equity firm, the maximum amount allowed by NFL rules. And that consortium should be led by Larry Fitzgerald, the most popular athlete in the history of Arizona.

Fitzgerald is now a venture capitalist. He has built a massive network of powerful friends from the world of business, politics and sports. Those who know Fitzgerald were not surprised to see him in the audience at a U.S. Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing in April.

The Cardinals are currently valued at $8 billion, and Fitzgerald could easily raise the $800 million necessary for a passive ownership stake in the team.

From a perceptual standpoint, it would be a game changer for the Bidwill family. They would receive a massive cash infusion and a priceless amount of good publicity. Fitzgerald’s face near the top of the organization flowchart would renew faith and trust in the future, especially with an unclear succession plan in Arizona, especially if Fitzgerald’s group has right of first refusal to purchase the entire team should the Bidwill family ever decide to cash out.

Make no mistake: Fitzgerald would have zero interest in serving as team president or de facto general manager. He is too diversified and too busy building his own empire to get involved with the granular details of day-to-day football operations.

But Fitzgerald could make an instant impact. For instance, he is good friends with Bears’ President and CEO Kevin Warren and could probably convince him to come to Arizona. He could end the cycle of inexperienced first-time coaches and general managers that have doomed this franchise for a decade. He could make the Cardinals a destination franchise once again.

Fitzgerald’s networking abilities are so immense that I’ve heard he’s already bypassed other NFL ownership opportunities. I believe that stems from Fitzgerald’s unwavering commitment to Arizona, and how aligning himself with another club would feel cheap and contradictory to everything he’s built in the Valley.

I also believe Fitzgerald would love to help elevate the Cardinals to higher ground, out of respect to his adoring fan base and to validate his ringless career in Arizona. Just like Shane Doan is hoping to do with a potential return of the Coyotes.

It’s a win-win situation. Especially for a lose-lose NFL franchise and a fan base on the brink of mutiny.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.

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