Shaquille O’Neal Sells His Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Franchises: Black People Don’t Like Pretzels That Much
Shaquille O’Neal Sells His Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Franchises: Black People Don’t Like Pretzels That Much
It looks like Shaquille O’Neal is getting rid of one of his business ventures.
The basketball icon turned business mogul recently sold his Auntie Anne’s Pretzels franchises. According to reports, he owned 17 pretzel franchises. It’s not yet confirmed if he sold them all just yet, however it looks like he’s getting rid of majority of his locations. During a recent appearance on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, Shaquille O’Neal, 50, explained the reason behind the decision. He said,
“You know we love pizza. I sold my Auntie Anne’s. Because Black people don’t like pretzels that much. So I had to switch it up.”
The podcast host disagreed with O’Neal, saying,
“Naw, the cinnamon ones we eat.”
The former NBA player responded,
“Maaan, nobody eat cinnamon pretzels.”
The crowd erupted in laughter after O’Neal told the host,
“Maaan, if you don’t get your Vince Carter lookin’ a** outta here.”
He added,
“At first, it was a good investment, but the numbers didn’t add up….”
Shaq first purchased his Auntie Anne’s franchises back in 2007.
Shaq, who is worth nearly $400 million, has earned respect for his business acumen and remaining successful years after retiring.
During a recent interview, Shaquille O’Neal spoke about the importance of investing in different businesses and how he’s been able to achieve success and wealth long after retiring from the game of basketball.
Statistics show that roughly 60-65% of NBA players go broke within the first five years of retirement. An average NBA player earned approximately $8 million for the 2021-2022 season. Given that their career in the NBA lasts for at least 4-5 years, their approximate earnings would be around $30 million – $40 million.
During the interview, the host asked Shaq why he wasn’t one of the 65% of NBA players who end up broke. He replied,
“Because if I do that, the big house that I bought my mother, she loses it. And I can’t have that.”
He added,
“I had to learn about financial literacy. I had to take what I learned from basketball and apply the teamwork structure to my business.”
Shaquille O’Neal currently owns 175 restaurants including Big Chicken, Five Guys Burgers, and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Additionally, he has 150 car washes, 40 fitness centers, a movie theater, a shopping mall, and several nightclubs in Vegas. Furthermore, he is an investor in several businesses such as Papa John’s, Krispy Kreme, and Authentic Brand Group.