Sports as an Emerging Asset Class: Opportunities and Considerations for Investors
July 2026
by Joel R. Freedman, CFP®, CPWA®, Managing Director
For years, investing in professional sports largely meant owning a team — an opportunity often available only to a select few.
These days, investors can now access the sports industry through private equity, media, technology, sports betting, and other sports-related businesses.
But before adding this alternative investment to your portfolio, it’s important to understand the factors that may influence both potential returns and risks.
The Forces Shaping Sports Investment Demand
According to data cited in a report by Goldman Sachs, the sports ecosystem generated nearly 430% returns over the past decade.1 At the same time, the rise of streaming, higher media rights valuations, and increasing demand for live sports have expanded the industry’s economic potential.
Several characteristics make sports assets an attractive option2:
Scarcity and Limited Supply: Professional leagues typically add new franchises infrequently, creating a limited supply of ownership opportunities that can support long-term valuations.
Multiple Revenue Sources: Sports organizations generate revenue from far more than ticket sales. Media rights, sponsorships, advertising, merchandising, streaming, and betting partnerships all contribute to financial performance.
Low Correlation with Traditional Markets: Sports revenues are often tied to fan engagement, media rights, and sponsorship agreements, creating drivers of value that may differ from those of traditional investments — though market and economic conditions can still have an impact.
Brand Strength and Fan Loyalty: Established franchises can benefit from decades of brand equity and highly engaged fan communities that support long-term demand. Additionally, championship successes (such as the recent NBA championship win by the New York Knicks) can boost value.
Growing Control of Content Distribution: League-owned and direct-to-consumer streaming platforms are creating new ways to monetize content while strengthening the value of media rights.
While sports assets may not be suitable for everyone, discussing them with your advisor can help determine whether they have a place within your broader investment strategy.
Taking a Broader View of Sports Investing
If you want to integrate intentional charitable giving into your financial world, start by determining the values, causes, and charAs mentioned above, sports investing is no longer limited just to franchise ownership. In addition to purchasing minority stakes, you can now gain across multiple segments of the industry, including:
Sports-Focused Private Equity and Private Credit: Firms invest across teams, leagues, media companies, and related businesses.
Sports Media and Content: Increasing demand continues to drive growth in broadcasting, streaming, eSports, gaming, and content distribution.
Sports Technology: Analytics platforms, fan engagement tools, wearable technology, and digital commerce solutions continue to attract investment as teams and leagues embrace innovation.
Sports Betting: The expansion of legalized sports betting has created opportunities across operators, technology providers, and supporting businesses.
Stadiums and Entertainment Districts: Many venues have evolved into year-round destinations supported by retail, dining, hospitality, residential, and entertainment developments.
Understanding the Potential Risks
The idea of investing in sports can be exciting, but this asset class comes with a unique set of risks to consider
Many sports assets are privately held, making them less liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. Professional league rules, ownership restrictions, team performance, management decisions, and reputational issues can all limit flexibility and impact long-term value.
The limited number of teams and ownership opportunities can also create concentration risk for investors with significant exposure to the sector.
As with any alternative investment, careful due diligence and guidance from your advisory team is essential.
Let’s Talk Sports Assets
Sports have evolved from a passion-driven pursuit for team owners into an increasingly recognized segment of the alternative investment landscape.
We can help you determine whether specific sports-related investments make sense given your risk tolerance, liquidity needs, and broader long-term goals. Let’s discuss.
Sports Assets: A Brief Q&A
How can investors get involved without buying a team?
You can participate through sports-focused private equity funds, media businesses, technology companies, venue developments, sports betting infrastructure, and other sports-adjacent opportunities.
Why are media rights so important?
Broadcasting agreements represent one of the largest revenue sources for many leagues and teams, directly influencing profitability, player compensation, and franchise valuations.1
Are women’s sports attracting institutional investment?
Yes. Growing attendance, television audiences, sponsorship activity, and media rights agreements have increased investor interest in women’s sports across multiple leagues.1
Sources
1 https://www.goldmansachs.com/what-we-do/investment-banking/multimedia/report.pdf
2 https://www.kiplinger.com/investing/stocks/how-to-invest-in-sports
3 https://www.citizensbank.com/private-banking/insights/sports-as-an-asset-class-private-equity-investing.aspx