Breaking the market with the highest valuation of a sports team in history: $8.5 billion
One NFL team is setting a financial record, selling for the highest valuation ever for a sports team in a transaction.
The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly selling a 6% stake in the team after a record $8.5 billion valuation, according to Sportico. That valuation, if accurate, would be the highest ever for a sports team in a transaction. The stake is to be divided among the Khosla, Griffith, and Deeter families, although it’s unclear how much each would receive.
🚨🏈 BREAKING: @49ers to sell nearly 6% stake at record sports team valuation. The owners of the San Francisco 49ers have reached an agreement to sell about 6% of the NFL franchise to a trio of Bay Area families at a valuation higher than $8.5 billion. pic.twitter.com/B1ttamxNml
— Sportico (@Sportico) May 15, 2025
However, both Sportico and Forbes currently estimate the 49ers’ value at $6.8 billion, ranking them sixth among NFL teams.
The disparity in the 49ers’ estimated valuation
The disparity between the 49ers’ estimated $6.8 billion valuation and their reported $8.5 billion valuation suggests that either there has been a dramatic rise in the team’s value ($2 billion in the last year), or that the methods of valuation have been drastically underestimating NFL teams’ actual worth.
Forbes says its valuations are estimated according to revenue and operating income for each NFL franchise, using financial documents and speaking to executives in order to determine the value of a team.
If the $8.5 billion valuation is correct, then the Niners would be the second-highest valued team in the NFL, behind only the Dallas Cowboys, who have an estimated worth of $10.1 billion as of last year. Then again, that estimate for the Cowboys could be lower than the reality as well.
Current list of most valuable NFL teams (top 10)
As of August 2024
| Rank | NFL Team | Value | Operating Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | $10.1 billion | $564 million |
| 2 | Los Angeles Rams | $7.6 billion | $286 million |
| 3 | New England Patriots | $7.4 billion | $261 million |
| 4 | New York Giants | $7.3 billion | $190 million |
| 5 | New York Jets | $6.9 billion | $138 million |
| 6 | San Francisco 49ers | $6.8 billion | $144 million |
| 7 | Las Vegas Raiders | $6.7 billion | $115 million |
| 8 | Philadelphia Eagles | $6.6 billion | $158 million |
| 9 | Chicago Bears | $6.4 billion | $138 million |
| 10 | Washington Commanders | $6.3 billion | $160 million |
It’s no surprise that the value of NFL teams is increasing, but transactions like this which bring the real numbers to light just serve to highlight their skyrocketing value.
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