According to sources familiar with the matter, a portion of ownership in the San Francisco Giants is up for sale at a price that could potentially value the team at approximately $4 billion.
The MLB franchise is collectively owned by approximately 30 partners, including former player Buster Posey and investor Arctos Sports Partners. The largest stake, amounting to roughly a quarter, is held by Charles B. Johnson, 91, a former CEO of Franklin Templeton Investments.
The stake being offered constitutes less than 5% of ownership and is reportedly part of estate planning, as per an unnamed source discussing private matters. A spokesperson for the Giants has yet to comment on the matter.
The Giants were acquired in 1992 by a consortium led by Peter Magowan for $100 million. Since then, the team has emerged as one of the more financially successful franchises in Major League Baseball, with substantial investments made in the redevelopment of their waterfront stadium.
In contrast, the Oakland Athletics have faced financial challenges, with plans to temporarily relocate to West Sacramento, California, before ultimately moving to Las Vegas.
While sales of minority stakes in sports teams often occur discreetly, the significant increase in team valuations has drawn additional attention to changes in ownership.
A recent example includes A’s owner John Fisher expressing openness to selling a minority stake in the team. Additionally, discussions are ongoing between Sportsology Capital Partners Ltd. and Ares Management Corp. regarding the acquisition of a stake in the Texas Rangers, valuing the team at $2 billion.
In MLB, changes in majority ownership have been relatively infrequent compared to other sports leagues, with only a few teams changing hands over the past decade.
Notable transactions include David Rubenstein and a group of investors acquiring a controlling stake in the Baltimore Orioles earlier this year, valuing the team at $1.73 billion. Other teams that have changed ownership since 2016 include the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Seattle Mariners.
