The San Francisco 49ers are selling a six-percent stake in the franchise after a record $8.5 billion valuation, according to Sportico.
The team is reportedly splitting that share between three families — the Khosla family, the Griffith family, and Deeter family. It’s unclear how much of that six-percent stake will be owned by each family.
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As part of that purchase, the 49ers were valued at more than $8.5 billion, per Sportico. If accurate, that would set the record for the highest valuation of any sports team in a transaction.
That figure is higher than both Forbes and Sportico value the franchise. Sportico estimates the 49ers are actually valued at $6.8 billion. Forbes’ 2024 list of NFL team valuations also had the team valued at $6.8 billion. That figure ranked sixth among all NFL teams on Forbes’ list.
Those $6.8 billion valuations are estimates by Forbes and Sportico. Forbes outlines its methodology each year, saying it estimates revenue and operating income for each team and use other economic factors and financial documents to create a value for each team. Forbes also speaks to team executives and sports bankers when making its list.
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The 49ers’ $8.5 billion valuation suggests Forbes and Sportico are underrating what NFL teams are actually worth. Either that, or the 49ers saw their value jump by more than $2 billion in a single year.
While that figure is staggering, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that NFL franchises continue to see their value skyrocket. Football is the most popular sport in the United States and the 49ers are among the NFL’s most prestigious teams.
If the 49ers truly are valued at $8.5 billion, the team would jump to second in Forbes’ annual list. They would still trail the Dallas Cowboys, which Forbes estimated to be worth $10.1 billion in 2024. Of course, that Cowboys figure could also be lower than expected. Unless — or until — the Cowboys are involved in a transaction, we won’t know exactly how much the franchise is worth.
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The 49ers selling a six-percent stake in the franchise won’t impact the team’s day-to-day operations. Selling off smaller shares of a team has become a common practice around the league in recent years. The Philadelphia Eagles sold an eight-percent stake in the team in 2024 and the New York Giants are looking to sell a 10-percent stake in the team soon.
If anything, the move speaks to just how valuable each NFL franchise has become. That’s not necessarily breaking news, but it’s still eye-popping to see just how much NFL teams are really worth these days.
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