The Cleveland Browns officially secured a major financial partner following a landmark vote by NFL franchise owners on May 19.

Franchise owners voted to approve the Cleveland Browns’ sale of 3 percent of the team to private equity firm Arctos. This decision was made in an NFL meeting in Orlando. 

“Arctos brings deep and respected expertise across sports, and we welcome them as a limited partner,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. 

Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the managing and principal partners of the Browns, bought the franchise from Randy Lerner in 2012 for $1.05 billion. They are also the CEO and Chairman of the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), founded in 2019. 

“They share our long-term vision for investing in both the franchise and Northeast Ohio. We will continue working to build a championship-caliber organization, elevate the fan experience, and support transformative opportunities that create lasting impact for our region,” they further added.

Arctos is one of the NFL-approved private equity firms, based in Dallas. It already owns 8% of the Los Angeles Chargers and 10% of the Buffalo Bills. Apart from NFL franchises, Arctos also owns minority stakes in the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Golden State Warriors.

In 2025, Forbes estimated the Browns were worth $6.4 billion, and after this deal between the franchise and Arctos, the firm would hold a stake of $190 million. Forbes also ranked the Browns as the 18th most valuable franchise in the NFL and 28th in the world. 

“The Cleveland Browns are one of the NFL’s most iconic and historic franchises, with a deeply loyal fan base and a leadership team committed to both the future of the organization and the surrounding community,” Chad Hutchinson, Partner at Arctos, stated. “We are excited to join the Browns as a limited partner and support the organization’s long-term priorities.”

Selling a minority stake to Arctos is an addition to the latest development in the HSG office. 

Cleveland Browns Sell A Minority Stake After Increased Stadium Contribution

Dee and Jimmy Haslam are envisioning a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns, projected to open in 2029. On April 30, they participated in the ground-breaking ceremony, and a month later, they sold a 3% stake to Arctos.

“That would mean Arctos is investing $192M into the team,” Cleveland 19 News wrote on May 20.

This happened after the Browns “increased their contribution by $200 million to the new $2.6 billion indoor stadium in Brook Park,” Mary Kay Cabot wrote on May 19. In March, Haslam Sports Group announced that the stadium’s cost increased from $2.4 billion to $2.6 billion due to “design enhancements,” which they would pay for.

According to Cabot, the Haslams originally intended to pay $1.2 billion of the $2.4 billion stadium. However, they are now funding $1.755 billion, or 67.5%.

“I can promise you, we have talked as much about keeping ‘affordable’ seats in the new stadium as anything else,” Haslam said in a clip shared by 92.3 The Fan, stating the new stadium will put fans first.

This is a significant milestone for the Haslams in the 14 years they have owned this franchise. What are your thoughts on this? Tell us in the comments.

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community! 

Written by

Akanksha Biradar