The NFL has approved its first private equity deals, marking a significant shift in team ownership structures. The Buffalo Bills sold a 10% stake to Arctos, while the Miami Dolphins sold a 10% stake to Ares Management, which also includes Hard Rock Stadium and the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. These approvals follow the league’s decision in August to allow owners to sell up to 10% stakes to private equity firms, opening a new avenue for capital and partnerships.
The Dolphins’ valuation for the Ares deal was $8.1 billion, highlighting the high value of NFL franchises. Ares adds this investment to an already robust sports portfolio, which includes Inter Miami FC, McLaren Racing, and Atlético de Madrid. The Dolphins also expanded their ownership group to include Brooklyn Nets majority owner Joe Tsai and Blue Pool Capital’s Oliver Weisberg, who acquired a 3% stake in the team.
The Bills, for the first time in franchise history, brought on 10 new limited partners alongside Arctos. Among them are former NBA stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, who are also cousins, and soccer standout Jozy Altidore. This diverse group underscores a growing trend of sports franchises welcoming prominent figures from various industries as investors.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the Las Vegas Raiders added high-profile limited partners Egon Durban of Silver Lake and Michael Meldman of Discovery Land Company, with each acquiring 7.5% stakes. These additions follow the recent approvals of NFL legends Tom Brady and Richard Seymour as limited partners, demonstrating the Raiders’ strategy to integrate prominent investors from both sports and business.
The Philadelphia Eagles also saw changes in their ownership group, with two family investment entities acquiring an 8% stake at a valuation of $8.3 billion. Susan Kim of Amkor Technology and siblings Zack Peskowitz and Olivia Peskowitz Suter, children of former Hawks co-owner Ed Peskowitz, are the newest investors. This wave of new ownership aligns with the NFL’s evolving approach to diversifying and strengthening franchise ownership structures.
