What Does Shaq Own? Franchises, Businesses And More!
Written by: Tyler Morris
Last Updated by Marina Longo: July 26, 2022
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Shaquille O’Neal better known as Shaq is worth $400 million and growing. Shaq is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He was selected first in the 1992 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. And he was a center and played until 2011. During his tenured career Shaq won 4 NBA titles, 3 NBA finals MVP awards, and was the NBA most valuable player in 2000. In his NBA career Shaq accumulated $292 million in salary. Shaq is among the highest paid players ever in the NBA. So where does the other $100+ million come from?
What Brands Does Shaq Own?
In 2018, Shaq founded the brand known as Big Chicken which has a total of 10 locations. The company also ships across the entire United States. He has even partnered with Carnival Cruise Lines to open Big Chicken on some of their cruise ships.
He also owns 40 24-Hour fitness gyms and 150 car washes. Additionally, Shaq owns a movie theater, shopping center, and a Night Club too. He is also the second largest individual shareholder of Authentic Brands Group. Notable subsidiaries of Authentic Brands Group include: Forever 21, Barneys New York, JCPenney, and Reebok.
Big Chicken
In addition to Shaq, Big Chicken is backed by JRS Hospitality, as well as Authentic Brands Group (ABG) which has helped grow multi-national chains.
JRS Hospitality has earned over $100 million in revenue on the Las Vegas Strip. It is the number one outdoor patio occupant in Las Vegas. This makes the brand a major player for restaurants, casinos, and other hospitality businesses.
Meanwhile, ABG is a major corporation and has earned over $20 Billion in revenue. ABG’s top brands include Forever 21, Juicy Couture, Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, Tapout, and Prince. ABG has also begun the process of acquiring major athletic apparel and sneaker brand Reebok. They have endorsed celebrities including Shaq, explaining the partnership between the two major players.
Big Chicken prides itself on delivering a menu with bold flavors mixed with home-cooked childhood favorites. The Big Chicken menu offers a variety of signature sandwiches. This includes the BIg and Sloppy sandwich, which has onion rings, macaroni and cheese, and a barbecue aioli sauce. For those that like their sandwiches on the spicier side, the Uncle Jerome is a Nashville themed chicken sandwich with lettuce, mayo and pickles.
For those that are beloved fans of Shaq, be sure to order the Shaq Attack, which has pepper jack cheese, jalepeño slaw, and a spicy chipotle bbq sauce. The menu does go far past just sandwiches as there are tenders, popcorn chicken, and salads.
The current 10 locations are spread across
- Arizona,
- California,
- Illinois,
- Louisiana,
- New York,
- Nevada,
- Ohio,
- Texas,
- Washington, and
- Carnival Cruise Line.
Competition
Big Chicken recognizes its demand and limited locations to deliver the flavor and experience so many individuals crave. The brand, as a result, ships across the U.S. for people to enjoy Big Chicken directly at home.
Currently, this brand is looking for new franchisees and with the celebrity backing of Shaq and business expertise between him and JRS Hospitality, it is a great opportunity. However, this is fierce competition in the chicken sandwich industry. Chick-Fil-A has a strong following and their demand is unparalleled.
Their competitor, Dave’s Hot Chicken has currently signed over 500 franchise agreements. This Nashville Chicken themed restaurant has begun to expand across the U.S. and is expected to open another 75 locations this calendar year. Dave’s Hot Chicken already has 61 locations open and with the demand to open additional locations Big Chicken has its work cut out for the brand. Additionally, you can expect to earn $223,000 annually from a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise. Big Chicken is too young of a brand to report on their annual profit, but it can be expected to be fairly similar. The backing of JRS hospitality, and ABG provide Big Chicken with a major capital and strategic advantage in the chicken sandwich and restaurant industries.
Franchises: What Brands Does Shaq Own?
Shaq owns, operates and sells a variety of franchises. For example, Shaq has owned and sold 155 Five Guys locations. This accounts for 10% of Five Guys‘ entire franchise portfolio. That’s a lot of hamburgers that Shaq has made possible.
Shaw also owns 17 Aunties Anne’s Pretzel restaurants. Auntie Anne’s is famous for being in malls, and shopping centers. They offer a variety of pretzels and cinnamon themed bite sized snacks. Truly, a shopping staple in the U.S.
Shaq in 2019, became the spokesperson and director of Papa John’s Pizza. This came directly after the controversial outing of their former CEO Schnatter. Shaq currently owns 9 Papa John franchises. Pizza Shaq seems to be an empire waiting to happen given the success he has had with Five Guys. By being contracted by Papa John’s with an $11 million compensation plan, it is fair to assume that Shaq’s number of locations will continue to grow.
Shaq has also begun franchising opportunities with world renowned donut chain Krispy Kreme. He has already acquired the world famous location in Atlanta.
Shaq Up
Shaq’s legendary NBA career will always be remembered. Shaq’s business aspirations during and after his career are arguably just as impressive. He has the power to turn brands like Papa John’s around following PR nightmares.
Furthermore, he is a major outlier as it is reported that 60% of NBA players go broke following the end of their career. Shaq was an inspiration on the court and is an entrepreneurial icon for anyone aiming to start and operate their own businesses or franchises.
Big Chicken has the potential to be his most successful business to date. Chicken Sandwich restaurants have been a cultural awakening and Shaq has the fast casual experience and celebrity endorsement power to make it a major brand. JRS Hospitality and ABG will also be major players to help ensure its success.
While you might be impressed with the businesses and franchises Shaq owns, be sure to check out the countless other opportunities on Vetted Biz.
