Teams/Atlantic Division
Philadelphia 76ers
Josh Harris has led the 76ers since 2011, when his group bought the team from Comcast Spectacor for about $280M. Forbes values the team at $6.4B; it has had six controlling owners since 1946.
Every owner since the start
- 2011-presentJosh Harris group, now HBSE
Bought 100% of the team from Comcast Spectacor for about $280M; agreed on 13 July 2011
- 1996-2011Comcast Spectacor (Comcast with Flyers owner Ed Snider)
Bought from Harold Katz on 24 April 1996 for $130M
- 1981-1996Harold Katz
Bought from Fitz Dixon in July 1981 for $12M
- 1976-1981Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr.
Bought from Irv Kosloff on 28 May 1976 for $8M; sources differ on whether that covered 95% or 90%
- 1963-1976Irv Kosloff and Ike Richman
Bought from Danny Biasone and moved the team to Philadelphia; price not found (the Inquirer gives a planned $500,000)
- 1946-1963Danny Biasone
Founded the Syracuse Nationals with a $5,000 payment to the league
Value over time
- 12011 Harris group buys, $280M
Show the numbers
| Year | Forbes value |
|---|---|
| 1998 | $196M |
| 1999 | $231M |
| 2000 | $233M |
| 2002 | $279M |
| 2003 | $298M |
| 2004 | $342M |
| 2005 | $351M |
| 2007 | $380M |
| 2008 | $360M |
| 2009 | $344M |
| 2011 | $330M |
| 2012 | $314M |
| 2013 | $418M |
| 2014 | $469M |
| 2015 | $700M |
| 2016 | $700M |
| 2017 | $800M |
| 2018 | $1.18B |
| 2019 | $1.65B |
| 2020 | $2B |
| 2021 | $2.45B |
| 2022 | $3.15B |
| 2023 | $4.3B |
| 2024 | $4.6B |
| 2025 | $5.45B |
| 2026 | $6.4B |
| Year | Sale | Team valued at |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Harris group buys the team from Comcast Spectacor | $280M |
| 2022 | Michael Rubin sells about 10% of HBSE at about a $2.5B valuation, mostly to David Adelman Not on the chart: this values the parent company, not the team alone. | $2.5B |
| 2022 | Arctos buys more than 5% of parent HBSE at about a $3B valuation (HBSE, not the team alone) Not on the chart: this values the parent company, not the team alone. | $3B |
Forbes valued the 76ers at $196M in 1998 and $6.4B in 2026, about 33 times as much. The biggest one-year jump was $1.15B in 2023, from $3.15B to $4.3B; by percentage it was 2015, up 49%.
How the current owner bought it
- The seller was Comcast Spectacor, which kept the arena. The deal was agreed on 13 July 2011 and completed that October.
- The buyer was a partnership of private investors led by Harris, including David Blitzer. It took 100% of the team.
- The team now sits inside HBSE, which Harris runs with Blitzer. HBSE also owns the New Jersey Devils.
- Control did not change in 2025 or 2026. One step is pending: Comcast plans to take a minority stake in the 76ers.
Partners in the team
| Partner | Stake | Who they are |
|---|---|---|
| David Adelman | More than 5%: most of the roughly 10% that Michael Rubin sold in 2022, at about a $2.5B HBSE valuation | Philadelphia property developer |
| Arctos Sports Partners | More than 5% of HBSE, bought in 2022 at about a $3B valuation | Private equity fund |
| Comcast | Minority stake planned under a January 2025 agreement; size and valuation undisclosed | Its Comcast Spectacor unit owns the current arena and half of the new-arena venture |
David Blitzer of Blackstone is co-managing partner; his stake was not found. Other partners include Jason Levien, Marc Leder, Joe Gibbs and Will Smith.
How the team is run
- Harris delegates basketball to executives but approves major moves. He has said the front office may go into the luxury tax.
- Daryl Morey's six-year run as basketball chief ended in May 2026. Bob Myers, HBSE's president of sports, took interim charge and led the search. In June 2026 the team hired Mike Gansey, Cleveland's general manager, as president of basketball operations.
- A 50-50 venture with Comcast Spectacor will build a new South Philadelphia arena. Groundbreaking is planned for 2027 and opening for May 2030.
- It replaced a $1.3B downtown arena plan that Chinatown residents opposed. Harris dropped that plan in January 2025.
- HBSE won a Philadelphia WNBA expansion team in June 2025 for a reported $250M fee. It starts play in 2030.
Quick answers
Who owns the Philadelphia 76ers?
Josh Harris has led the 76ers since 2011, when his group bought the team from Comcast Spectacor for about $280M.
How much are the Philadelphia 76ers worth?
Forbes values the Philadelphia 76ers at $6.4B in its October 2026 list, up 17% from $5.45B a year earlier. That makes them the 9th most valuable of the 30 teams; in 1998 Forbes put the team at $196M.
How much did the current owner pay for the 76ers?
$280M (Josh Harris, 2011). Forbes now values the team at about 23 times that price.
Who owned the Philadelphia 76ers before the current owner?
Comcast Spectacor (Comcast with Flyers owner Ed Snider) (1996-2011). Bought from Harold Katz on 24 April 1996 for $130M.
Open questions
- Whether Comcast's planned stake in the team has closed was not found.
- The stakes of David Blitzer and the other limited partners were not found.
- How the 2011 purchase was financed, including any debt, was not found.