The Cleveland Browns have already undergone changes during the offseason, but more may be on the horizon. However, they won’t all be about players on the field. The Browns are currently in the midst of selling a portion of their franchise, and league owners will vote on their choice.
Jonathan Jones reported the news on Tuesday morning.
“NFL owners are expected to vote later today on the sale of 3% of the Cleveland Browns to the private equity firm Arctos, sources tell @NFLonCBS. Arctos is one of the NFL-approved PE firms, and it already has a piece of Chargers and Bills,” Jones wrote.
NFL owners are expected to vote later today on the sale of 3% of the Cleveland Browns to the private equity firm Arctos, sources tell @NFLonCBS. Arctos is one of the NFL-approved PE firms, and it already has a piece of Chargers and Bills.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) May 19, 2026
The fact that Arctos already owns some of the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills means that they will probably have luck with their bid for three percent of the Browns. They clearly know how to do business with the NFL.
It might seem odd to see a private equity firm buy parts of several teams, given that they compete throughout the year. But Arctos isn’t investing because of their on-field output; they want to make some of the billions that teams bring in.
The current valuation of the Browns isn’t known, but the private equity firm could stand to make hundreds of millions. That would be a nice, hefty sum for them, but it could also pay the Browns handsomely, too.
A cash infusion with this sort of deal could arrive at the perfect time for Cleveland. The team is currently building a new stadium, and their contribution to the construction of the project is more than $1.75 billion. They would gladly welcome some help for that amount.
It’s important to note that this shouldn’t change anything for players, fans, or coaches. But it’s a large behind-the-scenes money deal that may signal a trend for the league. If other NFL owners agree to this and the deal is completed, fans should expect to see more moves like this soon.
Whether it be with Arctos or other approved firms, numerous teams could be a part of sales that generate millions, if not billions, for everyone involved.
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