Topline
Billionaires are turning to professional sports as one of their preferred asset classes, according to a JPMorgan report that reviewed investments for more than 100 clients it says have billionaire status, noting a surge in team ownership among wealthy families is driven by both emotional appeal and strategic investment value.
Key Facts
JPMorgan’s Principal Discussions report released Wednesday compiled 111 interviews with wealthy individuals worth $5 billion on average, totaling nearly $500 billion combined.
The report says ownership of sports teams among the extremely wealthy is booming: 20% of respondents now hold controlling stakes in teams, up from just 6% in 2022.
Over one-third are investing to at least some degree in stadiums and teams, surpassing collectibles like art (23%) and cars (10%).
The report also found that the top areas where these families plan to invest next are real estate, technology, energy, sports, and consumer sectors—in that order.
Key Background
The trend of the ultra-wealthy diving into sports team ownership reflects the asset class’ strong performance: major U.S. franchises have seen double-digit annual growth driven by media-rights deals, sponsorship expansion and rising global demand. Top teams have even outperformed the S&P 500 over the past three decades, making sports one of the most consistent long-term investments for high net worth individuals, according to law firm Loeb & Loeb.
Forbes Valuation
Forbes data shows that between 2022 and 2025, franchise valuations across major sports leagues have climbed dramatically, led by the NBA, followed by the NFL and MLB. The NBA’s top five teams saw valuations jump an average of 92%, with the Los Angeles Clippers posting the largest gain—soaring from $3.3 billion to $7.5 billion, a 127% increase. Trailing closely behind, the Golden State Warriors rose from $5.6 billion to $11 billion (up 96%), while even the lowest among the top five, the New York Knicks, climbed 68% to a valuation of $9.57 billion. In the NFL, the five most valuable teams grew an average of 61%, driven primarily by the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Giants each adding more than $4 billion in value. MLB’s top franchises increased an average of 32%, led by the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose valuation jumped $2.7 billion. The most valuable soccer clubs saw steady growth, albeit less explosive, up an average of 27% over the same period.
