Monica Simon’s Post

It's not surprising that the NFL--BY FAR the most competitively balanced league in professional sports--is the most valuable on a per-team basis. But to also have 30 of the top 50 most valuable franchises worldwide? Wild. Whether we like it or not, the parity trend we're seeing (F1 car redesigns, CFB realignment, push for European Super League, etc.) is only just beginning. Too much value on left on the table otherwise. https://lnkd.in/gZsxMirQ

A group of buyers acquired the Boston Celtics for $360 million in 2002. In 2024, after winning a championship and signing two of the largest contracts in NBA history with Jayson Tatum ($314M, 5 years) and Jaylen Brown ($304M, 5 years), they're putting the Celtics up for sale. Estimates for the final transaction are $4 billion+ (surpassing the sale of the Phoenix Suns in 2022). Two things: 1. The growth in valuation is a huge reason why investing in sports franchises (and their Netflix documentary counterparts) are so hot right now: Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets, A-Rod and the Timberwolves, Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham AFC + Alpine (F1), David Beckham and Inter Miami FC, etc. There's a lot of attention and money that goes into sports, and men's sports in particular, especially if you've got anchor stars that are driving that attention. 2. Signing the largest player contracts in NBA history, then walking away so someone else pays for it - that's a mic drop if I've ever seen one 😂

The NFL London Games alone won't boost the sport’s popularity in the UK – it needs its own franchise. The NFL has been growing in popularity in the UK since 2007. Its organisers have been repurposing Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane into American Football stadiums. Ten per cent of UK sports fans say they like to watch the NFL, according to Ampere Analysis, which is a credit to the London Games' success. Retrofitting stadiums have worked well to introduce new fans to American Football, although if the NFL wants to keep fans engaged, the UK needs its own franchise. A UK-based franchise would deliver purpose-built American Football stadiums, regular matches that fans could attend, and a grassroots culture in the sport. Only until serious planning and investment are made to launch a UK-domestic franchise will we see American Football truly take off in the UK. #NFLLondonSeries #stadiuminnovation #sportsfans #sportsbiz

As NBA teams appreciate in value, they also become harder to hand down to future generations due to tax purposes and league-level ownership rules. Sportico wrote about this topic in depth two years ago in a series about NFL owners and their estate planning. https://lnkd.in/eA7iqgEK #estateplanning #assetprotection #westernmass #northshore

The 25% Investment by Jim Ratcliffe in Manchester United for Sporting Control is similar to what we recently saw with the Dallas Mavericks. In that instance, Owner Mark Cuban sold 75% of the Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson Family, but retained Sporting Control of the Franchise. In my opinion this is a recent shift. Investors want to diversify and they view Franchise or Club Ownership as an important Asset Class. In the case of United, the Glazers are relinquishing Sporting Control after a decade of underperformance, where they inexplicably failed to employ and empower a Chief Football Officer. Unlike the Glazers, the Adelson’s are choosing not to engage on the Sporting Side from the beginning, in doing so they are entrusting Mark Cuban. The latter in my opinion is a questionable decision but one that I will follow with great interest.

$600m ➡️ the (rumoured) current expansion fee to purchase an Major League Soccer franchise. $20m ➡️ the current expansion fee to purchase a United Soccer League (USL) franchise. Like every great investor, the challenge is to find value where it doesn’t yet exist or where it hasn't been maximised. This is Brett M. Johnson. The co-owner of Ipswich Town FC, Phoenix Rising Football Club, and the newly formed Rhode Island FC, Brett is both creating and re-establishing value across a portfolio of football assets. US football (soccer...) has created massive asset value, underwritten by security of participation. The tradeoff? Too many games of no consequence. Limited consequence can limit attention 👀 Promotion/relegation fixes that...but reduces value 📉 What do you chase? 🤷♂️ Regardless of the operating system, don’t lose sight of the primary objective; building a great business! 🗣 “I like to focus on what I refer to as the sustainability of football; being able to have a franchise that's profitable and not just for the equity appreciation fairies coming to your rescue” A sports ownership schooling from one of the best in the business (of sport)🔥 Business of Sport (Links in comments)👇 #Ipswich #BrettJohnson #PhoenixRising #RhodeIsland #PremierLeague #MLS #USL #businessofsport #sportsindustry

Ownership needs to make some decisions

Just another reason why you need to be using SportsPro+ ! More business intelligence and insights to delve deeper into… 🧐 Drop me a message for a closer look into all the tools available! 🏈 #SportsProPlus #sportbiz #NFL

The Fate of the Niners Franchise: What Happens if They Lose the Super Bowl? In this video, we discuss the potential consequences for the San Francisco 49ers if they were to lose the Super Bowl. Will key players like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey consider leaving the team? Join the conversation and share your thoughts! #49ersFranchise #SuperBowlConsequences #NFLDiscussion #KeyPlayers #SanFrancisco49ers #FootballDebate #SportsAnalysis #OffseasonSpeculation #TeamLoyalty #SportsTalk