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Ownership Shakeup Looms as Bears Explore Sale of Minority Stake

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 4:30 PM ET

There’s no question that the Chicago Bears have been one of the NFL’s busiest teams this offseason. With new head coach Ben Johnson leading a revamped coaching staff and major moves across both lines of scrimmage, the franchise has embraced a fresh approach. The 2025 draft class also brought in promising pieces expected to contribute immediately. Now, a new report suggests that change may also be coming at the ownership level.

According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk, the Bears are exploring the potential sale of a minority stake in the franchise. ‘Via Bloomberg News, the Bears are currently exploring the sale of the minority interest held by Andre McKenna Sr., who died in 2023. Galatioto Sports Partners have been hired to handle a potential sale.’ While this wouldn’t affect majority control, minority ownership sales are extremely rare within the franchise.

Historically, the Bears have remained firmly within the founding Halas family. George Halas, who helped create the NFL in 1920, passed the team down to his daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey. Today, the McCaskey family continues to run the team, with Virginia holding the principal ownership. Investor Pat Ryan is also a known minority stakeholder.

Given rising franchise values and the league’s 2024 approval of private-equity investment, the McKenna estate’s share could become a hot commodity—potentially bringing in new financial partners, strategic voices, and investment strength for one of the NFL’s most storied and tradition-rich franchises.

The timing of the potential sale also coincides with a broader modernization effort within the organization, including discussions around a new stadium project in Arlington Heights. With so many moving parts, the direction of the franchise could shift in subtle but important ways, especially if a new minority owner brings a fresh perspective or financial leverage to key business decisions.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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