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How to buy football stocks
You can't buy NFL stock directly, but you can invest in companies that back the football industry.
The NFL isn’t a publicly traded organization, so you can’t buy NFL stock. But you can invest in major NFL sponsors and companies that back the sport. Here’s a list of football stocks to watch and what you should know before investing.
Can I buy football stocks?
The National Football League is made up of 32 professional US football teams, almost all of which are privately owned. The league itself is not publicly traded on a stock exchange.
The only publicly owned football team is the Green Bay Packers, but you can’t buy its stock on a major exchange. The company has sold stock directly on select occasions, most recently in November 2021. NFL rules allow funds to be used for projects like stadium improvements but not for players’ salaries or operating expenses.
If you want to buy football stocks, take a look at companies that sponsor the NFL or that offer products and services related to the football industry.
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Football stocks to watch
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)
Verizon Communications is a global communications, technology, information and entertainment company. It provides phone service plans, internet network access, wireless equipment and many related products and services to consumers, businesses and governmental entities.
Verizon is the official 5G partner of the NFL, signing a ten-year deal worth approximately $1 billion with the league in 2021.
- Communication Services
- Exchange: NYSE
- Dividend yield: 7.05%
- Price-earnings (P/E) ratio: 8.04
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP)
PepsiCo manufactures, markets, distributes and sells beverages and convenient foods worldwide. It operates through a network of direct-store-delivery, customer warehouse and distributor networks as well as directly to consumers through e-commerce platforms and retailers.
PepsiCo renewed its NFL sponsorship in 2022, although the terms were not disclosed. Its previous ten-year deal was reportedly worth $2 billion.
- Consumer Defensive
- Exchange: Nasdaq Global Select Market
- Dividend yield: 2.54%
- Price-earnings (P/E) ratio: 25.93
NIKE, Inc. (NKE)
NIKE designs, develops, markets and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories worldwide. The company offers NIKE brand products in 6 categories including football, running, NIKE basketball, the Jordan brand, training, and sportswear.
Nike spends $120 million each year to be the official uniform provider for all NFL teams.
- Consumer Cyclical
- Exchange: NYSE
- Dividend yield: 1.32%
- Price-earnings (P/E) ratio: 29.32
DraftKings Inc. (DKNG)
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company. It offers multi-channel sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries.
In 2021, the NFL signed a deal worth around $1 billion with 3 sports betting companies: DraftKings, Caesars and FanDuel. DraftKings also has a deal with Genius Sports that gives it access to a full portfolio of global sports data including NFL-related products.
- Consumer Cyclical
- Exchange: Nasdaq Global Select Market
- Dividend yield: N/A
- Price-earnings (P/E) ratio: N/A
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD)
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV is a Belgium-based company that produces, distributes and sells beer, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks worldwide. Its extensive portfolio of brands includes Budweiser, Corona, Michelob ULTRA, Stella Artois, Modelo Especial and Victoria.
In 2021, Anheuser-Busch InBev signed a deal reportedly worth more than $250 million to be the official provider of beer and hard seltzer for the NFL.
- Consumer Defensive
- Exchange: NYSE
- Dividend yield: 0.91%
- Price-earnings (P/E) ratio: 23.94
CFL stocks
There are no publicly traded CFL teams. But if you’re a fan of the Canadian Football league (CFL), you may have noticed some of its prominent sponsors. Investors can indirectly benefit from the league by backing corporate partners like Manulife (TSX: MFC) and the Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO).
3 of the 9 teams in the CFL are community owned including the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (owned by the Winnipeg Football Club), the Saskatchewan Roughriders (owned by the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club) and the Edmonton Elks (owned by EE Football Team, Inc.).
You can’t buy stocks in these teams like other stocks that trade on an exchange. For example, Saskatchewan Roughriders shares cost $250 each and can only be held by the purchaser or an immediate family member. Perks include discounted merch, priority ticket upgrades and access to shareholder events. It’s more like buying a fan club membership to support your favourite team than investing in a stock.
Open a stock trading account
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How to buy football stocks
- Choose a broker or trading platform. Fees and account options vary between platforms, so be sure to carefully check the costs and features of any platforms in which you’re interested.
- Open a stock trading account. You’ll usually need to provide your name, date of birth, contact information, Social Insurance Number (SIN), proof of ID and details of the bank account you want linked to your investment account.
- Deposit funds. Transfer funds from your linked bank account to your investment account. Note that some platforms have minimum deposit requirements.
- Buy football stocks. Once your account is set up and funded, you can begin buying and selling stocks.
Related: How to open a stock trading account
Risks of buying football stocks
Like any stock, the value of football stocks can change based on a wide range of factors such as company performance, profit projections, news or scandals related to the industry, public interest in the industry and the health of the economy overall.
Companies with diversified interests are somewhat buffered against negative movements in the football industry. This is one of the benefits of investing in large corporate NFL sponsors instead of NFL teams.
But widespread events like the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recessions can still impact even the most established corporations. When sifting through investments, consider all aspects of a business including short- and long-term performance, recent and expected losses, plans for growth and the company’s responses to market changes.
Bottom line
It’s currently impossible to buy NFL stock directly, but you can still invest in companies that are related to the football industry. While it might seem fun to buy stocks as a way of supporting your favorite sport or teams, remember that the value of football stocks can fluctuate like any investment, potentially providing both risks and rewards.
Related: Stock trading
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades.
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