A San Francisco 49ers helmet on the field during pregame warmups before an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Dec. 17, 2023.
Ryan Kang | Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers may be the next National Football League franchise to sell a minority stake to private equity.
The 49ers are considering a sale of up to 10% of the franchise to either a private equity firm or other investors, including wealthy individuals or families, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The New York Giants are also exploring a minority stake sale, the franchise announced last week.
NFL owners voted last year to allow private equity investment of up to 10% of a franchise. The Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills have already struck deals with investment firms, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders have used the increased interest from private equity to generate higher prices from other individuals and families.
The 49ers are hoping to value the franchise near $9 billion, the person said. CNBC valued the organization at $7.4 billion in its most recent valuations list.
Bloomberg first reported the team’s interest in selling a minority stake.
The NFL’s 49ers are both recently and historically one of the most successful NFL franchises in terms of wins and losses. The parent company of the 49ers, 49ers Enterprises, also owns the English football club Leeds United. The York family owns the 49ers, and Jed York is the 49ers’ CEO.
Many teams are eager to sell minority stakes for increased liquidity for family members or for money that can be pumped back into the team for stadium repairs or future investments.
Sales to private equity firms come with no voting rights. Still, firms have been willing to pay premium prices for small stakes because they come with perks, such as owner’s box seating, which can be used for clients and employees.
