The Bears are one of only two NFL charter franchises still operating, and they have stayed with one family for more than a century.
Who owns the Bears today?
| Owner | Stake | What is public |
|---|---|---|
| McCaskey family (Halas heirs and family trusts) | About 80% of the vote, including shares they vote for others | Virginia McCaskey held 22.6% herself and voted the shares of her 11 children, two nephews and the Brizzolara family, for an effective 80.33% |
| Brizzolara family | 8.33% | Bought in 1931 to help Halas buy out his partner; voted with the McCaskeys |
| Pat Ryan family | 17.67% before 2025, plus a third of the McKenna stake | Ryan, former chairman and CEO of Aon, sits on the board |
| Andrew McKenna estate | Sold in 2025 | About 2.35%, bought by the McCaskeys (two-thirds) and the Ryans (one-third) |
Sources: Chicago Bears and Virginia Halas McCaskey on Wikipedia; Sportico, September 2025. Percentages are from reporting, not a team filing, and outlets differ by a point or two.
George McCaskey became chairman in 2011 and principal owner after his mother's death. NBC Chicago and other outlets reported in 2025 that her own shares were expected to pass to family members, with the family keeping control.
Did the Bears sell part of the team?
Yes, a small part, and only to existing owners. In September 2025 the estate of Andrew McKenna, who died in 2023, sold its roughly 2.35% stake to the McCaskey and Ryan families. Sportico reported that the deal valued the Bears at about $8.8 billion, and other reports put it at $8.9 billion. It was a record for an NFL stake at the time, and because the buyers were existing owners it did not need a full league vote.
How much are the Bears worth?
| Estimate | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Forbes | $9.7 billion, 12th in the NFL; revenue $656 million | September 2026 |
| McKenna stake sale | About $8.8 billion to $8.9 billion, reported | September 2025 |
| Forbes | $3.525 billion | 2020 |
Sources: Forbes via Forbes Australia; Sportico; Chicago Bears on Wikipedia.
The value is tied up with the stadium question. As of August 13, 2026, team president Kevin Warren called Hammond, Indiana, the Bears' "sole focus" for a new stadium, after talks over Arlington Heights, Illinois stalled. No final site had been announced as of October 30, 2026.
Every Bears owner
- 1919
A. E. Staley's starch company in Decatur, Illinois starts the team as the Decatur Staleys
- 1921
Staley hands the team to George Halas and pays $5,000 to keep the Staleys name one more year; Dutch Sternaman becomes Halas's partner
- 1931
Halas buys out Sternaman, selling 8.33% to Ralph Brizzolara to help pay
- 1983
Halas dies on October 31; daughter Virginia Halas McCaskey becomes majority owner
- 1988
The team buys back the 19.67% stake of Mugs Halas's estate, later sold to Andrew McKenna and Pat Ryan in 1990
- 2011
George H. McCaskey becomes chairman
- 2025
Virginia McCaskey dies on February 6 at 102; George McCaskey becomes principal owner
- 2025
The McKenna estate sells about 2.35% to the McCaskeys and Ryans
- 2026
Forbes values the Bears 12th in the NFL
The Bears have had only three principal owners in more than a century: George Halas, his daughter Virginia, and her son George.
Who will own the Bears after the McCaskeys?
Nobody has been named, and no sale has been announced. If a sale ever happened, Pat Ryan's family is the largest outside holder and has been mentioned in reporting as a possible buyer. That is speculation, not a plan.
How I checked this
Ownership percentages come from the Bears' ownership history as summarized on Wikipedia from Chicago Tribune and ESPN reporting, and the 2025 stake sale from Sportico. The value is Forbes' September 2026 estimate. The Bears are private and do not publish their ownership, so where outlets disagree I give the range.
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Observations retain their source, period and definition. Uncertainty is preserved; missing values are not zero.
- Chicago Bears (Wikipedia, citing the Chicago Tribune, ESPN and Forbes) ↗
Wikipedia
Accessed 2026-10-30.
- Virginia Halas McCaskey (Wikipedia) ↗
Wikipedia
Accessed 2026-10-30.
- Who owns the Chicago Bears after Virginia McCaskey's death? (NBC Chicago) ↗
NBC Chicago
- Chicago Bears stake sold to McCaskey and Ryan families (Sportico) ↗
Sportico
- Ranked: The NFL's most valuable teams 2026 (Forbes, via Forbes Australia) ↗
Forbes · 2026-09-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Kevin Warren: Bears' sole focus is new stadium in Hammond, Indiana (NBC Sports, Pro Football Talk) ↗
NBC Sports · 2026-08-13T00:00:00.000Z