A committee of NFL owners is to discuss a change in the rules for the sale of franchises that could have groundbreaking consequences.

Is the NFL on the brink of a revolution in the sale of its franchises?

As reported by “ESPN”, a select committee of NFL owners is currently examining the league’s ownership rules. The background to this is that a wider pool of candidates may be able to acquire stakes in a team in future.

“One of the options on the table is to allow institutional assets, including private equity, to invest in NFL franchises, which the league has not allowed to date,” emphasized Michael Rothstein.

Additional revenue from the sale of minority stakes in a franchise could “provide owners with money for projects like stadium renovations. “

NFL franchises more valuable than ever

The considerations come at a time when NFL franchises are valued more highly than ever before.

“Forbes”, for example, rates the Cincinnati Bengals as the least valuable team in the league at an estimated price of 3.5 billion dollars. The last two sales – of the Denver Broncos for 4.65 billion dollars in 2022 and the Washington Commanders for 6.05 billion dollars in 2023 – each set a new record.

With sale prices increasingly heading towards the double-digit billion range, the circle of interested parties is becoming ever narrower. The NFL owners’ thoughts on easing access restrictions are therefore understandable