Who Owns the Cincinnati Bengals?

Since 2021, the Cincinnati Bengals have been among the more promising NFL futures plays. 

They lost Super Bowl 56 to the Los Angeles Rams and fell one game short of advancing to Super Bowl 57 after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship. 

The Bengals have been owned by the same family, at least in some capacity, since the team joined the AFL in 1968. 

So, who owns the team, and what is his net worth? 

Who Owns the Cincinnati Bengals?

The owner of the Cincinnati Bengals is Mike Brown. He became the team’s owner in 1991 following the death of his father, Paul Brown. 

Does the Brown Family Own 100% of the Bengals?

No, the Brown family owns about 97% of the Bengals. The Browns’ ownership stake increased from 57% to 97% in 2011, when they bought out the team’s largest minority shareholder, Austin Knowlton. 

Who Are the Part Owners of the Cincinnati Bengals?

Dr. Ed Miyawaki is a minority owner of the Bengals. He became a minority in 1994, the first Japanese American to purchase an ownership interest in an NFL franchise. 

How Did Mike Brown Make His Money?

Brown made most of their wealth while running the Bengals organization. After increasing their ownership from 57% to 97%, and in conjunction with NFL franchises seeing a 13-fold increase in valuation, Brown’s net worth increased by $3 billion. 

They are worth about $5 billion, according to Forbes. 

How Much Did the Brown Family Buy the Bengals for?

In 2011, the Browns purchased the remaining shares from the Knowlton estate for about $200 million. Initially, Paul and a group of investors paid about $7.7 million in 1968 for the Bengals to join the American Football League.

That $7.7 million investment provided Paul with an initial 10% stake in the team.