Minnesota Timberwolves Sold in $4.5bn Deal, 4th Most Expensive NBA Sale

The Minnesota Timberwolves and their WNBA counterpart, the Minnesota Lynx, have changed ownership in a transaction that values the franchises at a combined total of $4.5bn, according to reporting by ESPN and Yahoo Sports.

American businessman Marc Stad has transitioned from a minority investor to controlling owner, purchasing the majority stake previously held by co-chairman Marc Lore, according to Yahoo Sports. Stad joins Lore’s business partner and former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez as co-chairman, pending league approval.

The $4.5bn valuation makes the sale the fourth-largest franchise sale in NBA history, according to ESPN’s reporting. The deal follows another major ownership change in the league earlier in the month, when the Los Angeles Lakers were sold in a record-breaking deal.

Ownership Transition and Leadership Structure

Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez originally bought into the Minnesota teams in 2021 at a $1.5bn valuation under an agreement to eventually purchase the team in full, according to Yahoo Sports. The pair assumed full control of the basketball teams last year.

Under the newly announced structure, Marc and Elisa Stad are increasing their investment after serving as partners and friends since the initial purchase. Rodriguez confirmed the agreement on Friday, announcing that he will also increase his investment in the organization.

One of the great joys I’ve had in my career is spending the last few years helping build the Timberwolves and Lynx with my friend and partner Marc Lore.

Alex Rodriguez

Following league approval, Rodriguez will serve as co-chairman, Governor of the Lynx, and alternate Governor of the Timberwolves, according to his public statement. Marc Stad joins him as co-chairman, while Lore’s exact ongoing operational footprint shifts as Stad takes over the majority stake held by Lore.

Franchise Context and Standing

The ownership shift arrives as both teams maintain prominent competitive profiles in their respective leagues. Last season, the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference before losing to the San Antonio Spurs, according to Yahoo Sports.

The transaction values both the NBA’s Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx as a unified corporate asset pool at the $4.5bn mark. The high valuation places the enterprise among the most valuable sports property sales recorded in North American professional basketball history.