Wranglers recruit Deion Sanders as co-owner

Flashy football figure Deion Sanders is bringing his "Prime Time" show to Austin.

Sanders now is a co-owner of the Arena Football League's Austin Wranglers, the team said Wednesday at the Four Seasons Austin Hotel.

Other co-owners include Doug MacGregor, president of the team; Glyn Milburn, general manager of the team; and Jim Schneider, chief financial officer of Dell Inc. .

Among well-known co-owners of other Arena Football League teams are Mike Ditka of the Chicago Rush, John Elway of the Colorado Crush and Jon Bon Jovi of the Philadelphia Soul.

The Wranglers say Sanders will have an active role in all aspects of the team, from football operations to the front office. Sanders also is expected to play a leadership role in the Austin Wranglers Foundation, which strives to help the youth of Central Texas.

"I am excited to join the Wranglers organization and contribute to the growth of Arena Football in Central Texas," Sanders says. "The Wranglers are committed to furthering their position within the AFL through excellence on the field and in the community."

Sanders, whose nickname is "Prime Time," was an analyst for CBS' "The NFL Today" from 2001 to 2004. He played for the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens.

"The addition of Deion to our ownership brings a charismatic and creative leader with a wealth of professional sports experience and a great marketing flare," MacGregor says.

In addition to his 14-year NFL career, Sanders played nine seasons of Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants.