Which Sports Teams Are Publicly Traded?

While many professional sports teams operate under private ownership, a select few, or their parent companies, are publicly traded on stock exchanges. This means shares in these entities are available for purchase by the general public.

Identifying Publicly Traded Sports Teams

Direct public ownership of a single sports team is uncommon. More often, a larger corporate entity owns the team and is publicly traded, encompassing other business ventures alongside the sports franchise. This structure allows the team to be part of a diversified portfolio within a publicly accessible company.

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS) owns the New York Knicks of the NBA and the New York Rangers of the NHL. The Atlanta Braves baseball team is owned by Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA), which also manages mixed-use development projects. In Canada, Rogers Communications (RCI), a telecommunications company, owns the Toronto Blue Jays MLB team.

Several prominent European soccer clubs are publicly traded. Manchester United Football Club (MANU) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, while Borussia Dortmund (BVB) trades on the German stock exchange. Juventus FC (JUVE) is another example of a publicly traded soccer club, listed on the Italian stock exchange. These examples show that public investment opportunities in sports teams generally involve broader corporate structures rather than standalone team entities.

Understanding Public Ownership Structures

When a sports team or its parent company is publicly owned, it operates with different financial and regulatory obligations compared to private entities. Public companies issue shares to investors, allowing a wider range of individuals and institutions to become partial owners. These shares are then traded on stock exchanges, facilitating buying and selling.

Public ownership brings increased transparency. Companies listed on exchanges must comply with regulatory bodies like the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This compliance includes filing disclosure forms and annual reports. This oversight provides investors with detailed insights into company operations and financial health. Public ownership also provides a mechanism for sports organizations to raise substantial capital through equity offerings. This contrasts with private ownership, where funding typically comes from a limited number of individuals or small groups, without the same level of public disclosure.

Investing in Sports Team Stock

For individuals interested in investing in a publicly traded sports team or a related entity, the process generally follows standard stock market investment procedures. The first step involves opening a brokerage account, which serves as the platform for buying and selling shares.

Once the brokerage account is established and funded, investors can search for the specific ticker symbols of the publicly traded companies that own sports teams. It is important to remember that investment is typically in the parent company, which may have diverse business interests beyond the sports team itself. For example, to invest in the New York Knicks, one would purchase shares of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSGS). After identifying the desired stock, investors can place a buy order through their brokerage account. The stock price will fluctuate based on market demand, company performance, and broader economic conditions, just like any other publicly traded security.