10% of Falcons franchise sold at $10.6 billion valuation

A 10% stake in the Atlanta Falcons has reportedly been sold to Arctos at a $10.6 billion enterprise valuation, marking the latest major investment in an NFL franchise as team values continue to climb across the league.

CNBC’s Michael Ozanian and Jessica Golden reported Thursday that Arctos has agreed to purchase the minority stake, citing two people familiar with the matter. Falcons owner Arthur Blank currently controls just under 73% of the franchise, although it remains unclear whether the entire 10% will come from Blank’s holdings or also include stakes from limited partners.

“The deal, according to the two people, will take place over the next 18 months in two tranches with an enterprise value of $10.6 billion,” CNBC reported.

The transaction still requires NFL approval, with owners expected to vote on the deal in October. If approved, Atlanta would become Arctos’ fourth NFL investment, joining the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns.

The reported $10.6 billion valuation represents another significant increase in the Falcons’ value. CNBC valued Atlanta at $8 billion in September 2025, which ranked 11th among NFL franchises. Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot, purchased the Falcons for $545 million in 2002.

NFL franchise valuations have continued rising after the Seattle Seahawks agreed to a record $9.61 billion sale.

Falcons’ valuation soars amid major organizational changes

The investment comes during a period of significant change for Atlanta both on and off the field. The Falcons missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season in 2025 and responded by restructuring their football leadership.

Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was hired in January as president of football, a newly created position. Atlanta subsequently hired Ian Cunningham as general manager and Kevin Stefanski as head coach.

“Despite average performance on the field the last several years, our business has been really strong,” Falcons CEO Greg Beadles told CNBC in July. “We had our best business year that we’ve had last year, as a matter of fact.”

The Athletic’s Josh Kendall noted that the Falcons have not confirmed the reported transaction and pointed to the league’s approval process.

“The Falcons haven’t confirmed this (and probably wouldn’t for a while considering these moves have to go to a full ownership vote before being final) but some executive level Atlanta news,” Kendall wrote Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Atlanta is also preparing for its second preseason game after suffering a 27-7 loss to the Denver Broncos last Friday. The Falcons will face the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET as Stefanski continues preparing the team for his first regular season in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is scheduled to host the Super Bowl in 2028, adding another major event to the franchise’s long-term business outlook.