The Biggest Sports Franchise Sales in US History

5. Dallas Mavericks (2023 – $3.5 billion)

One could make a case that the sale of the Phoenix Suns, packaged with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, is No. 5 on the list at $4 billion in 2023, but that’s a two-fer, and we’re not going to let that slide. No, we’re all about single sales in this list, so let’s kick it off.

No, you won’t find the Mavericks in the NBA Finals odds this year after losing the championship to the Celtics last season, but they did trade their best player, Luka Doncic, for an aging center after the outspoken Mark Cuban sold off his 70% of the team to Las Vegas Sands tycoon Miriam Adelson in 2023 for $3.5 billion.

Mark Cuban purchased the Mavs for $285M in 2000

Today he sold a majority stake for $3.5B 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ysXETZgF43

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2023

4. Denver Broncos (2022 – $4.65 billion)

The Broncos are a long way from their glory days in the 90s with John Elway pulling the trigger, but NFL experts agree that drafting quarterback Bo Nix as the 12th overall pick may be just what was needed to restart this franchise.

Previous owner Pat Bowlen passed away in 2022, and the next year his family sold the team to the Walton-Penner family, who have a few extra bucks of their own thanks to Walmart. The Broncos are a dark horse this season, but the NFL betting odds suggest they could have decent value this season.

NFL owners have officially approved the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to the group led by Rob Walton.

The Walmart heir is now the richest owner in the NFL, with a net worth of over $59 billion.

$4.65 billion becomes the highest price ever paid for a U.S. sports team. pic.twitter.com/hwnl7NBYnx

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 9, 2022

3. Washington Commanders (2023 – $6.05 billion)

There are some owners who are beloved, but Dan Snyder was not one of them. He was the former owner of the Washington Commanders, and the league finally twisted his arm tight enough to part with his football team for a cool $6.05 billion to Josh Harris, part of the 76ers ownership group. Now he has enough money to watch Jayden Daniels go to work and even has a few bucks extra for a hot dog and a beer.

Breaking: NFL owners have unanimously approved the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris, a league source told @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/VriwqSpU4I

— ESPN (@espn) July 20, 2023

2. Boston Celtics (2025 – $6.1 billion)

The Green Machine just raised their 18th NBA title, and the man who assembled this high-priced and devastating lineup, Wyc Grousbeck, decided to chuck it all away and sell the franchise to some tech billionaire, Bill Chisholm, out of California, for $6.1 billion. And get this, that doesn’t even come with the old Boston Garden, the arena where they play! They still have to pay rent, can you believe that?!

BREAKING: Bill Chisholm, managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, has agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics from the Grousbeck family for a valuation for $6.1 billion, sources tell ESPN. This now is the largest sale for a sports franchise in North America. pic.twitter.com/iPphqSQswe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2025

1. Los Angeles Lakers (2025 – $10 Billion)

The LA Forum is a place to see and be seen, but now it is home to the richest sale of a North American sports team, the LA Lakers. Mark Walter, the Dodgers owner and already a minority owner of the Lakers, will now step into the C-suite as he is the new boss, buying the franchise from the Buss family for $10 billion. Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Jerry Buss, who bought the team in 1979 and passed away in 2012, will remain governor of the franchise, according to reports.

The Buss family purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5M and sold the franchise for $10B 46 years later, per @ShamsCharania 🤯💰 pic.twitter.com/6RWetixZVh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 18, 2025