Topline
Billionaires are turning to professional sports as one of their favorite asset classes, according to a JPMorgan report that assessed investments for more than 100 self-identified billionaire clients, noting that increases in team ownership among wealthy families are driven by both emotional appeal and strategic investment value.
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Key facts
JPMorgan’s top discussions report Released Wednesday, it collected 111 interviews with wealthy individuals with an average net worth of $5 billion, totaling nearly $500 billion combined.
According to the report, ownership of sports teams among the extremely wealthy is skyrocketing, with 20% of respondents now owning controlling stakes in teams, up from just 6% in 2022.
More than a third invest in stadiums and teams at least to some extent, surpassing collectibles such as art (23%) and cars (10%).
The report also shows that the main areas in which these households plan to invest are the real estate, technology, energy, sports and consumer sectors – in that order.
Important background
The trend of the ultra-wealthy diving into sports team ownership reflects the strong performance of this asset class: major US 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 Reading & Reading.
Forbes rating
Data from Forbes shows that between 2022 and 2025, franchise valuations in the major sports leagues increased dramatically, led by the NBA, followed by the NFL and MLB. The NBA’s top five teams saw valuations increase by an average of 92%, with the Los Angeles Clippers posting the biggest gains: from $3.3 billion to $7.5 billion, an increase of 127%. Close behind, the Golden State Warriors rose from $5.6 billion to $11 billion (a 96% increase), while even the lowest in the top five, the New York Knicks, rose 68% to a $9.57 billion valuation. In the NFL, the five most valuable teams grew by an average of 61%, mainly due to the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants each adding more than $4 billion in value. MLB’s top franchises rose an average of 32%, led by the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose valuation increased by $2.7 billion. The most valuable football clubs experienced steady, albeit less explosive, growth, with an average increase of 27% over the same period.
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