The most expensive sports team sale ever is the Los Angeles Lakers, whose majority stake sold to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation, a deal the NBA approved and closed on October 30, 2025. As of November 2026, the Seattle Seahawks came closest, selling for a reported $9.6 billion in August 2026. The Lakers could soon beat their own record: in August 2026, Walter agreed to sell control to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner at a reported $12.5 billion valuation, a deal still waiting on league approval in the latest reports we could find. This countdown ranks the ten biggest control sales of pro sports teams by the price or valuation in the deal, from #10 up to #1.
We counted only sales that handed over control of a team, closed or approved by the league, with a disclosed or widely reported price. Minority stake deals and “worth” estimates are left out of the ranking, though we mention the biggest ones below. Where a deal valued the team but the buyer bought less than 100%, we rank it by the full-team valuation, because that is the number the league and both sides agreed on.
| Rank | Item | Price (USD) | Sale date | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Charlotte Hornets (NBA) | $3 billion | August 2023 | Michael Jordan to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall |
| 9 | Chelsea FC (Premier League) | £2.5 billion, about $3.1 billion | May 2022 | Sold to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital consortium |
| 8 | Dallas Mavericks (NBA) | $3.5 billion valuation | December 2023 | Mark Cuban to the Adelson and Dumont families |
| 7 | Phoenix Suns and Mercury (NBA, WNBA) | $4 billion | February 2023 | Sold to Mat Ishbia |
| 6 | Portland Trail Blazers (NBA) | about $4.25 billion | March 2026 | Paul Allen estate to Tom Dundon group |
| 5 | Denver Broncos (NFL) | $4.65 billion | August 2022 | Sold to the Walton-Penner group |
| 4 | Washington Commanders (NFL) | $6.05 billion | July 2023 | Sold to Josh Harris group |
| 3 | Boston Celtics (NBA) | $6.1 billion valuation | August 2025 | Grousbeck group to Bill Chisholm |
| 2 | Seattle Seahawks (NFL) | about $9.6 billion | August 2026 | Paul Allen estate to the Khosla family |
| 1 | Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) | $10 billion valuation | October 2025 | Buss family to Mark Walter |
10. Charlotte Hornets: $3 billion
Michael Jordan bought control of the Hornets in 2010 at a reported valuation of about $275 million. In August 2023 he sold his majority stake to hedge fund manager Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall at a $3 billion valuation, roughly ten times his entry price.
The Hornets had not won much on the court, which makes the price more telling. Buyers were paying for a scarce NBA charter and a share of national media money, not for a winning roster. Jordan kept a small minority stake.
How we valued it: team valuation in the majority sale, as reported by several independent sports business pages.
9. Chelsea FC: about $3.1 billion
The most expensive sale of a sports team outside North America. A consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed its purchase of Chelsea on May 30, 2022, paying £2.5 billion, about $3.1 billion at the time, for the club.
The headline figure most people remember is £4.25 billion, about $5.3 billion. That total adds a £1.75 billion commitment to invest in the club over ten years, money that goes into the business rather than to the seller. We rank on the £2.5 billion purchase price because it is the amount that changed hands.
How we valued it: the purchase price confirmed at completion, converted at May 2022 exchange rates; the investment pledge is excluded.
8. Dallas Mavericks: $3.5 billion
Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks for $285 million in 2000 and turned them into a champion in 2011. In December 2023, the NBA approved the sale of a majority stake to the Adelson and Dumont families at a valuation reported at $3.5 billion.
Cuban kept a minority share and, at first, his role running basketball operations. The new owners brought casino resort experience, which fueled talk about a future arena and entertainment district in Dallas. The Milwaukee Bucks changed hands at a similar $3.5 billion valuation in 2023, but that deal involved a partner’s stake rather than control of the team.
How we valued it: the widely reported valuation of the majority sale.
7. Phoenix Suns and Mercury: $4 billion
Mortgage lender Mat Ishbia bought the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for $4 billion in a deal approved in February 2023. At the time, it was the highest price ever paid for an NBA team.
Ishbia moved fast once he owned the team, trading for Kevin Durant within days and later Bradley Beal. The deal showed that buyers were willing to pay a premium for NBA teams in fast-growing Sun Belt cities with modern arenas.
How we valued it: disclosed purchase price for both teams together, confirmed by multiple sports business pages.
6. Portland Trail Blazers: about $4.25 billion
The NBA’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the Trail Blazers to Tom Dundon’s investor group on March 30, 2026. The seller was the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose will directed that his teams be sold and the proceeds used for philanthropy.
The deal closes in two steps. The group bought 80.1% right away at a $4 billion valuation and will take the remaining 19.9% by September 2028 at a $4.5 billion valuation. The team stays in Portland, with Dundon as governor.
How we valued it: the combined deal value reported at league approval by several independent pages, with the two-step structure noted.
5. Denver Broncos: $4.65 billion
In August 2022, the trust that held the team since Pat Bowlen’s ownership sold it to Walmart heir Rob Walton, his daughter Carrie Walton Penner and her husband Greg Penner for $4.65 billion. It was then the highest price ever paid for any sports team.
The Waltons brought in partners including Mellody Hobson and later Lewis Hamilton. The buyer’s wealth set the tone: a family worth tens of billions could outbid any rival for one of only 32 NFL teams.
How we valued it: purchase price disclosed at closing and reported by multiple sports business pages.
4. Washington Commanders: $6.05 billion
NFL owners approved the sale of the Commanders to private equity investor Josh Harris and his partners in July 2023 for $6.05 billion. The group included Magic Johnson and Danaher co-founder Mitchell Rales, among other partners.
Harris already owned the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, so the deal turned his group into one of the largest multi-team owners in American sports. The price stood as the NFL record for three years.
How we valued it: league-approved purchase price, confirmed by multiple independent pages.
3. Boston Celtics: $6.1 billion
In March 2025, the Celtics, fresh from their 2024 title, agreed to sell to private equity investor Bill Chisholm at a $6.1 billion valuation. The NBA approved the deal in August 2025. Chisholm bought 51% first, with a path to full control by 2028.
The Celtics price was the first to pass $6 billion for an NBA team. Boston is one of the league’s most valuable brands, with 18 championships and a global fan base, and the sale came just as the NBA’s new 11-year media deal kicked in.
How we valued it: full-team valuation in the staged control sale, per several independent pages.
2. Seattle Seahawks: about $9.6 billion
Months after winning Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks agreed on July 11, 2026, to sell to the Khosla family. NFL owners unanimously approved it in Atlanta on August 26, 2026, at a reported $9.612 billion. Neeru Khosla is the controlling owner, with Vinod Khosla, the venture capitalist and Sun Microsystems co-founder, and their son Neal in the group.
Paul Allen bought the Seahawks for $194 million in 1997 and kept them in Seattle. The sale price is almost 50 times that figure and about 59% above the previous NFL record set by the Commanders. Vinod Khosla had to give up a small stake in the San Francisco 49ers to make the deal.
How we valued it: price reported at league approval by multiple independent pages; the figure was reported rather than officially disclosed.
1. Los Angeles Lakers: $10 billion
The most expensive sports team sale in history. Mark Walter, the TWG Global chief executive who already controlled baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, agreed to buy a majority of the Lakers from the Buss family in June 2025 at a $10 billion valuation. The NBA’s Board of Governors approved the deal unanimously on October 30, 2025, and it closed the same day.
Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1979, so the family’s stake grew roughly 150 times in value. The Buss family kept a stake of about 15%, and Jeanie Buss stayed on as governor. The ownership did not stay put for long. In August 2026, Walter agreed to sell control to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner at a reported $12.5 billion valuation, with the Buss family selling its remaining shares too. That deal needs NBA approval, so we keep the closed $10 billion sale as #1 for now.
How we valued it: valuation confirmed at league approval and closing by multiple independent pages.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
- March 2025: the Celtics deal at $6.1 billion became the most expensive NBA sale yet, approved in August 2025.
- June to October 2025: the Lakers sale at $10 billion set the all-time record for any sports team.
- March 2026: the Trail Blazers deal, valued near $4.25 billion, became the third-highest NBA price.
- July to August 2026: the Seahawks sold for a reported $9.6 billion, a new NFL record and the second-highest closed price for any team.
What drives these prices
- Media money. The NBA’s new 11-year national TV deal and the NFL’s long media contracts give owners near-guaranteed income for a decade. That certainty is why every sale on this list since 2022 has been above $3 billion.
- Scarcity. There are only 30 NBA teams and 32 NFL teams, and many have not changed hands in decades. When a family or an estate finally sells, every billionaire who wants a team bids on the same asset.
- Estates and families are the sellers. Four of the ten deals came from estates or founding families (Buss, Allen twice, Bowlen). These owners bought cheap decades ago and sell at peak prices.
- Private equity can now buy in. The NBA and NFL have opened the door to institutional funds holding minority stakes. That gives buyers more ways to finance a $10 billion purchase.
- Winning helps, but it is not required. The Seahawks and Celtics sold right after titles. The Hornets sold for $3 billion without one.
Not ranked: big stakes and valuations
Some headline numbers involve minority stakes, not control. Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought about 25% of Manchester United in 2024 in a deal that reportedly valued the club at around £5 billion, and several NFL teams have sold small stakes to investors at reported valuations of $8 billion and up. We leave these out because the buyer did not get control of the team.
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What is the most expensive sports team sale ever?
The Los Angeles Lakers, sold to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation. The NBA approved and closed the deal on October 30, 2025. A pending resale to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner at a reported $12.5 billion would top it once approved.
What is the most expensive NFL team sale?
The Seattle Seahawks, sold to a group led by the Khosla family for a reported $9.6 billion. NFL owners approved it on August 26, 2026.
Who bought the Lakers?
Mark Walter, who also controls the Los Angeles Dodgers, bought control in October 2025. In August 2026 he agreed to sell to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner at a reported $12.5 billion valuation, a deal that still needs NBA approval.
What is the most expensive soccer club sale?
Chelsea, bought by a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital consortium in May 2022 for £2.5 billion, about $3.1 billion, plus a £1.75 billion investment pledge.
What is the cheapest sale on this list?
The Charlotte Hornets, sold by Michael Jordan in 2023 at a $3 billion valuation.
Why are sports teams so expensive now?
Long media contracts give owners steady income, the number of teams is fixed, and new rules let investment funds help finance purchases. Many sellers are families who bought decades ago.
How we put this list together
We ranked each team by the verified sale price or full-team valuation in a control sale, using disclosed deal terms and league approvals compiled in our internal valuation model. Prices are approximate, foreign deals are converted to US dollars at the exchange rate of the sale year, and values change over time.
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Last updated: November 2026.
