BREAKING: The Lakers, Celtics, Commanders, and Chelsea broke records as the most expensive sports teams

As the franchise market continues to grow, Mark Walter’s proposed acquisition of the Los Angeles Lakers is expected to become the most costly sports club transaction ever.

Walter, the majority owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a co-owner of Chelsea, has consented to buy a controlling interest in the Lakers in a deal of $10 million (£7.5 million).

Earlier this year, a group led by Bill Chisholm agreed to spend $6.1 billion (£4.7 billion) acquire another NBA team, the Boston Celtics. This transaction breaks the previous record for a sports team sale.

The Celtics’ acquisition overshadowed the NFL’s 2023 $6.05 billion agreement for the Washington Commanders, and the most costly football team sale ever, Chelsea’s $5.4 million. 2022.

Before that, the $3.3bn sale of NBA franchise the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 was the industry benchmark.

How the prices of sports teams surged in the 2020s

As capital has flooded into the sports club market, primarily from US investment organizations, the last three years have seen the eight largest team sales.

The Premier League team was valued at $5.4 billion at the time, and British millionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe also purchased a minority ownership in Manchester United.

Deals to sell ownership of eight hundred franchises valued at than £1 billion were also reached this year by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

US teams remain popular with investors as the American sports model, with closed leagues, draft system and highly commercialised model, offers a better chance of returns.

Last year, the NFL responded to the booming interest by agreeing to allow private equity firms to purchase minority stakes, following a similar move by the NBA in previous years.

Investors are also attracted by an evolving media landscape and the transformation of stadiums into multi-use venues that can make money year-round, Goldman Sachs has said.

“The days of just selling tickets and concessions are over; sports are rapidly expanding into 24/7 data management platforms that bring best-in-class customization – helping teams grow and increase the monetization of their fan base across all business verticals,” said the investment bank’s co-head of sports franchise Dave Dase.

T0P TEN (10) Most expensive sports team sales CURRENTLY.

• 1. $10bn: LA Lakers, NBA (June 2025)
• 2. $6.1bn: Boston Celtics, NBA (March 2025)
• 3. $6.05bn: Washington Commanders, NFL (July 2023)
• 4. $5.4bn: Chelsea FC, Premier League (May 2022)
• 5. $4.65bn: Denver Broncos, NFL (June 2022)
• 6. $4bn: Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury, NBA/WNBA (December 2022)
• 7. $3.5bn: Dallas Mavericks, NBA (December 2023)
• 8. $3.3bn: Brooklyn Nets, NBA (August 2019)
• 9. $3bn: Charlotte Hornets, NBA (August 2023)
• 10. $2.4bn: New York Mets, MLB (November 2020)