If you had invested in a North American sports franchise between 1991- 2022, you would have earned at least a seven-fold return on your investment, bettering the return from the S&P 500 over that period of time by a two-to-one ratio. According to Sportico, in the past year alone, the average value of an NFL franchise has increased by 24 percent. The strong growth in the value of these franchises has proven to be particularly attractive to investors, especially in recent years. For example, the sale of the Denver Broncos in 2022 was for a 22% premium over a third party’s pre-sale valuation. Valuation premiums are not only limited to sales of controlling investments; in 2023, a minority share of the parent company of the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto FC was sold for a similar premium over a recent third-party valuation for the franchises. Not surprisingly, franchise owners have been eager to cash in either in whole or in part.Continue Reading How High Can It Go? What Private Equity Needs to Know about How Professional Sports Leagues’ Rules Impact Sports Franchise Valuations