You can buy shares in a small number of publicly traded sports teams and team-owning companies, including Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and the Atlanta Braves. Most major U.S. teams are privately owned, so investing in a team often means buying shares in its parent company or seeking access to a private fund.
This guide covers the main publicly traded options, what each investment represents, and how to check whether a team share is available through your brokerage. It also explains why owning a team’s stock is not the same as owning a seat in the owners’ room.
which sports teams can you invest in directly?
A limited number of teams or team companies have publicly traded shares. Examples include English soccer club Manchester United, German soccer club Borussia Dortmund, Italian clubs Juventus and Lazio, Dutch club Ajax, Scottish club Celtic, and Portuguese club Benfica’s listed football company. In U.S. sports, Atlanta Braves Holdings is publicly traded, as is Madison Square Garden Sports, which owns the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
These are not all identical investments. Some shares represent a company focused largely on one club. Others give you a stake in a business that owns multiple teams or related assets. A stock exchange listing also does not guarantee that shares are available in your country or through your brokerage.
Company structures and listings can change. Before placing an order, verify the current company name, ticker, exchange, and ownership details in your brokerage account and the company’s latest filings.
Publicly traded team and team-owner options
The table compares notable examples. “Direct” means the listed company is closely tied to a team or club; it does not mean you personally own a specific part of the roster, stadium, or team operations.
| Investment | Sports connection | What a share generally represents | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United plc (MANU) | Manchester United soccer club | A share in the listed company associated with the club. Different share classes have different voting rights. | Investors seeking a publicly traded company centered on a well-known club |
| Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA (BVB) | Borussia Dortmund soccer club | A publicly traded stake in the club’s operating company, with governance and ownership features specific to its structure. | Investors interested in a European club with listed shares |
| Juventus Football Club (JUVE) | Juventus soccer club | A share in the listed company operating the club, subject to its finances and corporate decisions. | Investors who want exposure to one Italian club and accept club-specific risk |
| S.S. Lazio | Lazio soccer club | A listed company connected to the club; confirm the current listing and trading access before investing. | Investors researching smaller, less widely followed club stocks |
| AFC Ajax | Ajax soccer club | A share in the listed company associated with the Dutch club, not a personal ownership right over team decisions. | Investors looking for a publicly listed European football company |
| Celtic plc | Celtic soccer club | A share in the company connected to the Scottish club, traded on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market. | Investors comfortable researching smaller-company shares |
| Atlanta Braves Holdings (BATRA/BATRK) | Atlanta Braves baseball team and related business interests | Shares in a public company tied to the Braves and associated operations; the share classes have different voting rights. | Investors seeking U.S. baseball exposure through a listed company |
| Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS) | New York Knicks and New York Rangers | A share in a company that owns professional teams, rather than a separate stock for each team. | Investors who want exposure to two major New York franchises through one company |
This list is a starting point, not a recommendation or a complete catalogue. A team’s public status, company structure, or ticker can change. Search the company’s investor-relations materials and recent regulatory filings to confirm what its shares represent.
How to invest in a team through the stock market
If a club or team owner is publicly traded, you can usually buy shares through a brokerage that supports the relevant exchange. Shares trade like other stocks, but international listings can involve extra fees, currency conversion, and different market hours.
- Identify the legal company. Search for the company that owns or operates the team. A club’s familiar name may not match the name on the stock exchange.
- Confirm the ticker and share class. Some companies issue multiple classes. They can differ in voting rights, liquidity, or control, even when the shares have similar economic exposure.
- Read the company’s filings. Check what assets it owns, how much revenue comes from the team, and whether the business includes other operations.
- Review trading access and costs. Confirm that your brokerage supports the exchange and check commission, foreign-exchange, and custody fees.
- Choose an investment size you can tolerate. Team-related stocks can be volatile and may depend heavily on one club, one league, or a small number of business drivers.
Use a limit order if you want to set the maximum price you will pay. A limit order can help manage the price on a thinly traded stock, but it may not execute if no seller is available at your chosen price.
What owning a team stock does—and does not—mean
Buying a share makes you a shareholder in a company. It does not usually give you a direct claim to a particular team’s profits, a say in transfers, free tickets, or authority over management. Your rights depend on the company’s legal structure and the type of shares you hold.
For example, a listed parent company may own a team alongside other assets. Its stock price can reflect debt, corporate strategy, stadium projects, and other businesses—not just wins and losses. Even a company focused on one club has expenses, financing, and ownership arrangements that affect its value.
Voting power is not always equal to economic ownership. A company can have share classes with different voting rights. Check the shareholder-rights section of its filings instead of assuming every share lets you influence major decisions.
Green Bay Packers “stock” is a common source of confusion. It is a fan ownership certificate with no ordinary resale market and no conventional financial return. It is not equivalent to buying publicly traded shares in a company.
Indirect ways to get sports-team exposure
Buy shares in a team-owning company
Madison Square Garden Sports and Atlanta Braves Holdings are examples of publicly traded companies tied to U.S. teams. This is indirect in the sense that you buy shares in the company, not a separate stock issued by each team. Review the company’s full business and financial structure before treating its stock as a pure team investment.
Consider a private investment fund
Some private funds or investment groups may hold stakes in sports franchises. Access can be limited to eligible investors, and minimum commitments, fees, holding periods, and resale restrictions may apply. The fund’s investment is also not the same as having personal control of a team.
Look at sports-related public companies
Companies involved in broadcasting, sports apparel, ticketing, equipment, or stadium operations may benefit from the wider sports industry. But their shares are not team ownership. Their financial results can depend on many products, customers, and markets beyond sports.
There is no simple, broadly available stock-market fund that gives a small investor equal ownership of all major professional teams. A general market fund may hold companies with some sports exposure, but that exposure is usually only one part of a diversified portfolio.
Why team shares can be unusually risky
Sports clubs attract attention, but popularity alone does not make a stock a strong investment. A team’s fortunes can depend on player costs, broadcast deals, league rules, debt, sponsorships, ticket demand, and how well the business is managed. A winning season does not guarantee a rising share price.
- Limited diversification: A single-team company may be exposed to a small number of assets and revenue sources.
- Shareholder influence may be weak: Founders, families, or other major owners may retain control through voting rights or share structure.
- Low trading volume: Some smaller listings may have fewer buyers and sellers, which can make it harder to trade at a preferred price.
- Club performance and business performance differ: Sporting success can raise interest, but financial results also depend on costs, contracts, and commercial decisions.
- Currency and market differences: International shares can add currency risk, exchange fees, and different disclosure or trading practices.
Before investing, read the company’s debt and cash-flow information as well as its sports headlines. Debt matters because interest and repayment obligations can limit the money available for investment in players, facilities, or other business needs.
How to compare team investment choices
Start by asking what you want the investment to do. If you want a listed company closely tied to one club, a single-team stock may fit that description, but it also concentrates your risk. If you want exposure to multiple teams, a company that owns more than one franchise may offer broader—but still limited—exposure.
Compare the same core details for each candidate:
- Ownership: Which teams and other assets does the company own?
- Revenue: How much comes from games, media, sponsorship, merchandise, or property?
- Debt and cash flow: Can the company meet its obligations without relying on optimistic assumptions?
- Governance: Who controls the votes, and what rights come with the shares available to you?
- Trading conditions: How liquid is the stock, and what fees apply to your account?
Then compare the stock with other investments you could make. A team share may be an emotional purchase as well as a financial one. Keeping those motives separate can help you avoid paying more than the business fundamentals justify.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming every famous team has a stock ticker
Most NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB teams are not separately listed on public exchanges. A recognizable team name may be connected to private owners or a privately held parent company. Check the legal company and exchange listing rather than relying on a search result or fan discussion.
Confusing sponsorship with ownership
A public company that sponsors a team, sells its uniforms, or broadcasts its games does not necessarily own that team. Commercial ties may create business exposure, but they do not give shareholders a stake in the franchise.
Assuming a listed club is a simple bet on winning
A share price reflects expectations about the company, not just match results. A club can win trophies while facing high costs, debt, or weak commercial performance. Conversely, company value may be affected by business developments that have little to do with results on the field.
Overlooking the cost of buying overseas shares
International trading can involve extra fees or currency conversion. Confirm those costs before comparing an overseas club stock with a domestic investment.
To decide which sports teams can you invest in, first verify whether the team itself—or a company that owns it—is publicly traded. Then check the share rights, business assets, debt, and trading costs before deciding whether the investment fits your goals.
A practical next step is to choose one team from the comparison table and read its latest investor materials and filings. If the listing is not available through your brokerage, do not assume a fan token, memorabilia certificate, or sponsor stock is an equivalent substitute.