"I’ll drop $2", “Wait till my crypto takes off”: NFL fans react as Bears explore selling minority stake

The Chicago Bears are reportedly preparing for an ownership shakeup. The franchise seeks to sell a small portion of equity previously held by longtime stakeholder Andrew McKenna Sr., who died in 2023. Galatioto Sports Partners has reportedly been tapped to manage the sale process, acording to NBC Sports' Mike Florio.

McKenna's 2% stake represents a minor part of the team. The McCaskey family controls over 80% of the franchise, while businessman Pat Ryan owns roughly 17.7%.

NFL fans reacted with jokes and offers after the ownership news emerged.

"If they can wait till my crypto takes off...I would love to buy in," a fan tweeted.

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If they can wait till my crypto takes off...I would love to buy in

"I'll drop $2," one fan said.

"I got about $10," another fan wrote.

More reactions poured in as the news got traction.

"Can we change that to 'majority'?" one fan commented.

"What if we sold the entire team," another fan said.

"Move the team to London," a fan wrote.

The Bears have always been a family-owned team since being founded in 1920 by one of the NFL's founders, George Halas. His daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey, took over the team and has been the majority owner for decades.

Any outside buyer would likely be subject to existing "right of first refusal" agreements, allowing the McCaskeys or Ryan to match offers before any deal is finalized.

Chicago Bears' stadium project could benefit from new investor cash

Chicago Bears OTA Offseason Workout - Source: Getty

With the NFL opening the door to private equity investments in 2024, several teams have since offloaded minority stakes. The most notable are the 49ers, who were valued at $8.6 billion during a May sale.

That benchmark would put the value of Andrew McKenna Sr.'s 2% at an estimated $172 million according to USA Today. However, that figure could rise given the market's momentum.

The timing of the sale aligns with the Chicago Bears’ ongoing efforts to develop a new stadium project in Arlington Heights. Bringing in a new minority investor could help the franchise secure additional capital without relinquishing family control

This offseason, the Bears underwent sweeping changes across football operations. They hired Ben Johnson as coach and revamped the staff and roster.