Does Anyone Own 100% Of An NFL Team? Unpacking League Ownership Rules

Murray Yost 29 Jul 2025

Have you ever sat there, watching a thrilling NFL game, and wondered who really calls the shots behind the scenes? It's a question many fans ponder, especially when thinking about the vast wealth and influence tied to professional sports. The idea of one person completely owning a team, from the stadium seats to the star players, seems like a powerful dream, doesn't it? Well, the truth about NFL team ownership is actually quite a bit more layered than you might first imagine.

For a sport as popular as American football, with its massive fan base and incredible financial scale, the way teams are managed and controlled is a topic that sparks a lot of curiosity. People often ask, “Does anyone truly own 100% of an NFL team?” It’s a very good question, and the answer, as you'll find out, shows just how unique and carefully structured the league's setup truly is. You see, the NFL isn't owned by just one person or even a single big company; instead, it's a collection of individual teams, each with its own set of owners. This system, in a way, helps keep things balanced across the entire league.

Understanding who owns what, and how much, helps us appreciate the business side of the game we love. It's not just about the touchdowns and tackles; it's also about the significant investments and the specific rules that govern these powerful sports franchises. So, let's take a closer look at the fascinating world of NFL team ownership and see if that idea of a single, absolute owner really holds up. We'll explore the rules, the exceptions, and the general economics that shape this very big business.

The NFL's Unique Ownership Playbook
The 1/3+ Rule: A Key Requirement
The Green Bay Packers: A Community Story
Group Ownership: The More Common Path
The Cost of Entry: A Billion-Dollar Game
New Players on the Field: Institutional Investors
Beyond 100%: The Reality of Control
What About Selling a Team?
Frequently Asked Questions

The NFL's Unique Ownership Playbook

The National Football League operates in a pretty interesting way when it comes to who is in charge. Unlike some businesses where a single entity might hold all the cards, the NFL itself isn't actually owned by just one person or one big company. Instead, it's a collection of 32 separate teams, and each of those teams has its own set of owners. This structure is a bit like a club where all the members have a say, and it’s actually quite important for how the whole league runs. The league also has a central office, which helps manage things for everyone involved. This system, you know, really defines how the world's most popular football league is controlled and operates.

Each team, you see, has its primary owners. These are the people or groups who have put up the significant money to acquire a franchise. The system works with these 32 individual teams and then a central league office that oversees the big picture. It’s a way of making sure that while each team has its own leadership, there's also a unified approach to the league's overall direction and rules. This setup, in some respects, is designed to ensure stability and a shared vision for the sport's future.

The 1/3+ Rule: A Key Requirement

When it comes to NFL team ownership, there's a really important rule that helps shape who has the most power. The league, you know, has a specific requirement: every team must be owned by either a single owner or a small group of owners. And here's the kicker: if it's a group, one person within that group absolutely must hold at least one-third (1/3) or more of the shares. This isn't just a suggestion; it's a hard and fast rule set by the NFL. It helps ensure there's a clear, dominant voice in the room for each team, which is pretty vital for making quick decisions and guiding the franchise.

This rule, in a way, means that even if a team has multiple investors, there's always a designated "controlling owner" who holds a substantial stake. This person, or primary owner, typically has the most say in big decisions, from hiring coaches to approving major financial moves. It's a way, perhaps, to avoid too many cooks in the kitchen and keep the team's direction clear. So, while you might hear about "minority owners" or "investment groups," the league's structure usually points to one individual having a very significant portion of the ownership pie, usually 33.3% or more, which is quite a lot.

The Green Bay Packers: A Community Story

Now, while the 1/3+ rule is pretty standard across the NFL, there's one very famous exception, and that's the Green Bay Packers. Their ownership structure is truly one of a kind in professional sports, and it's actually quite a cool story. The Packers are, you know, community-owned. This means that instead of one person or a small group holding the majority of shares, the team is owned by thousands of individual shareholders. It’s a truly unique setup in the league, and perhaps in all of major American sports.

What makes this even more distinct is that no single owner of the Green Bay Packers is allowed to own more than 200,000 shares. This rule effectively prevents any one individual from gaining controlling interest. It ensures that the team truly belongs to its fan base and the community of Green Bay, which is a pretty special thing, if you ask me. This structure means that the Packers operate more like a non-profit organization, with profits reinvested into the team and facilities, rather than going into one person's pocket. It's a testament, really, to the deep connection between the team and its supporters, and it’s a setup that is completely different from any other team in the NFL.

Group Ownership: The More Common Path

While the Green Bay Packers stand alone with their community ownership, for the other 31 NFL teams, group ownership is actually quite common. It’s rare, you know, for one person to truly own 100% of a team. Instead, you'll often find a primary owner who meets that 1/3+ share requirement, supported by a group of minority owners or investors. These groups can vary in size, but the core idea remains: pooling resources to acquire these incredibly valuable franchises. It's a pragmatic approach, considering the staggering costs involved in buying an NFL team today.

These minority owners, while not holding the controlling stake, still have a piece of the team. Their percentage stake might not rival that of the main owner, so one minority owner probably can't make big changes alone. Typically, though, they default to the primary owner's decisions and just accept the money as it comes in from the team's operations. This arrangement allows for significant capital to be raised, while still maintaining a clear leadership structure as required by the league. So, in many cases, it's more about a shared venture, with one leader, than a single person holding every single share.

The Cost of Entry: A Billion-Dollar Game

Thinking about buying a professional sports team, especially one in the NFL, means thinking about an incredible amount of money. The economics of sports franchise ownership have absolutely exploded beyond imagination over recent years. What was once a very expensive purchase is now a truly astronomical one. An NFL team, you know, is far more than just a sports club; it's a massive business enterprise, often valued in the billions of dollars. This sheer cost is a major reason why 100% individual ownership is so rare, and why groups are the usual way things are done.

For instance, one owner's purchase cost him $550 million at the time, with the team valued at $1.1 billion. Since becoming the owner, this person has made significant investments. That was years ago, and prices have only gone up. An average NBA team, for example, is now worth around $4 billion, as per recent reports. Imagine what an NFL team costs! This kind of money means that becoming wealthy enough to buy an NFL franchise, or even a significant portion of one, usually involves generations of wealth or incredibly successful business ventures. It’s a status symbol, really, for the super-rich, complete with 80,000 seats and more toilets than you could dream of. So, the price tag alone makes it very hard for just one person to own every single bit.

New Players on the Field: Institutional Investors

There's been a relatively recent and pretty big change in the NFL's ownership rules that's worth noting. In August, the league actually voted to allow institutional investors to buy into franchises. This is a fairly new development for the NFL, though global soccer was the first to allow private equity to own teams outright back in 2006, leading to a boom in fund investment there. This move by the NFL could, in a way, open up new avenues for how teams are financed and who holds a piece of them. It's a sign that the league is adapting to the changing financial landscape of professional sports.

What this means is that large investment funds or corporations might now be able to acquire minority stakes in NFL teams. While this doesn't change the primary owner rule – someone still needs that 1/3+ controlling share – it does mean that more entities could become part of the ownership structure. It’s another step away from the idea of a single, all-encompassing owner, and more towards a diversified financial model. This shift, you know, could bring even more capital into the league, potentially boosting team values even further and allowing for greater investments in facilities and operations.

Beyond 100%: The Reality of Control

So, back to our main question: does anyone truly own 100% of an NFL team? Based on the league's rules and the sheer economics involved, it's very, very rare, if not practically impossible, for a single individual to own every single share of an NFL team, outside of perhaps a very brief transitional period. The NFL's requirement for a controlling owner to hold at least 1/3+ of the shares means that while one person has the most power, there's usually room for other investors. The only true exception, as we've discussed, is the Green Bay Packers, where no one person owns a significant portion at all.

Even for someone like Jerry Jones, who is arguably one of the most recognizable and influential owners in the NFL, the concept of "owning 100%" is probably not quite accurate in the strictest sense of holding every single share. He does, of course, have immense control and a very large stake, perhaps the largest individual stake in the league, but the intricacies of team finances and the league's rules often involve multiple parties. It's entirely dependent on how much they own, but the league's structure tends to favor a primary owner with significant control, rather than absolute, sole ownership of every single bit. To try to alleviate issues, the NFL requires that at least one owner holds a substantial portion, ensuring clear leadership.

What About Selling a Team?

Let's consider a hypothetical situation, just for a moment: assume an NFL owner owns a very large portion, perhaps even hypothetically 100% of a team, even though we know that's rare. Can that owner just wake up one day and decide, "Yep, I want to sell 100% of my team," or maybe just sell a percentage of it? Can they do that without anyone else's consent? Well, it's not quite that simple. Even if someone had an incredibly dominant stake, the NFL isn't just a free-for-all. The league has rules, and other owners have a say.

For instance, in the NBA, a change in controlling ownership has to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors, which is made up of one representative from each team. Larry Tanenbaum, the Toronto Raptors owner, has been chairman of that board since 2017. While the specifics might differ slightly, the NFL also has a similar process for approving major ownership changes. This means that even a primary owner with a massive stake can't just unilaterally sell off their team without the league's blessing. It's a collective decision, in a way, designed to protect the integrity and stability of the entire league. So, it's not just about what one owner wants; it's also about what the league deems acceptable for its future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you own part of an NFL team?

Yes, you absolutely can own part of an NFL team. While there's usually a primary owner who holds a significant portion, often 1/3 or more of the shares, many teams also have a group of minority owners or investors. These individuals or entities hold smaller stakes in the franchise. So, it's very common for ownership to be spread out among several people, with one person having the most control. This setup helps teams raise the vast amounts of money needed to operate and compete in the league.

How much does it cost to buy an NFL team?

Buying an NFL team today costs an incredible amount of money. The economics of sports franchise ownership have truly soared. We are talking about billions of dollars for a team. For example, a team valued at $1.1 billion years ago would be worth much, much more now. The cost has become so high that it typically requires immense wealth, often built over generations, or the pooling of resources from a group of very wealthy individuals or institutional investors. It's one of the most expensive assets you can acquire in the world of sports, or really, any business.

Who is the richest NFL owner?

While my text doesn't explicitly name the single richest NFL owner, it does highlight the immense wealth required to own an NFL team. The article mentions Jerry Jones as a prominent owner, for instance. Generally, the owners of NFL teams are among the wealthiest individuals globally. Their fortunes often come from diverse business ventures outside of football, which allowed them to acquire these incredibly valuable sports franchises. The latest status symbol for owners is a massive stadium, which suggests the scale of their financial capabilities.

Learn more about NFL team structures on our site, and for more details, check out this page how NFL teams are valued.

For a broader perspective on sports ownership, you might want to look at this external resource: NFL.com Owners

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Does Anyone Own 100% Of An NFL Team? Unpacking League Ownership Rules

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