The financial world surrounding AC Milan is making headlines once again. This time it is the specialist outlet Milano Finanza that is relaunching a rumour set to spark widespread debate: RedBird Capital Partners, the fund led by Gerry Cardinale, is reportedly open to welcoming one or more minority shareholders into the club’s ownership structure.
RedBird is not selling — but is opening the door to new investors
One thing must be made absolutely clear from the outset: Cardinale has no intention whatsoever of selling AC Milan or stepping away from the project. What is emerging from the reports is something quite different — the possibility of opening a minority stake to outside investors, who could acquire a share of between 25% and 40% of the club. The exact percentage, naturally, would only be determined if and when negotiations were to materialise.
This is not the first time similar rumours have circulated. In the past, there had already been talk of potential interest from Arab investment funds, while the transition from Elliott Management to RedBird had generated a period of uncertainty that pushed some institutional investors away. Today, however, the context is very different — and the name being mentioned is one that cannot be ignored.
Who are the Ellison family and why are they interested in Milan?
The potential new minority shareholder would be the Ellison family, led by Larry Ellison, founder and executive chairman of Oracle Corporation. In global financial circles, this is a name that carries enormous weight: in 2025, his stakes in Oracle reached a valuation of approximately $390 billion, firmly placing him among the wealthiest individuals on the planet.
But Ellison’s interest in sport is nothing new. Larry Ellison already owns the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, holds ownership of an international sailing league, and has made several attempts to break into NFL and NBA franchises. For him, sport is not merely a passion — it is a strategic asset within a far broader vision.
It is through Skydance Media — the group he leads — that the connection with RedBird becomes explicit. In 2025, Skydance completed a merger with Paramount Global in a deal worth approximately $8 billion, financially backed by RedBird Capital itself. The relationship between Cardinale and the Ellison family is therefore already established and solid.
The streaming wars and the role of sport
To understand the real motivations behind a potential investment in Milan, one must look at the bigger picture. The Ellison family views sport as an indispensable asset in the looming global streaming battle, one in which giants such as Netflix and Walt Disney are the main protagonists. Sports rights are increasingly central to the strategies of the world’s largest entertainment platforms, and a global brand like AC Milan would represent a visibility asset that is virtually impossible to replicate.
It is perfectly legitimate, however, to ask: is an investment driven by entertainment logic truly in the club’s best interest? This is far from a rhetorical question. If the Ellison family were to enter solely to exploit the Rossoneri brand as a media vehicle, without a genuine commitment to investing in the sporting project, the real impact on the team’s competitiveness could be limited. What AC Milan truly needs is an investor who places football at the centre of the strategy, not on its periphery.
Milan’s valuation: between €3 and €4 billion
According to estimates reported by Milano Finanza, the overall valuation of AC Milan is said to stand at between €3 billion and €4 billion. This figure accounts not only for the club itself — estimated at around €1.6 billion — but also for the value of the new stadium project, which is gradually taking shape and represents a fundamental strategic asset for the club’s future growth.
It is worth stressing that these are journalistic estimates, not official figures. Nothing has been formalised at this stage and the reports remain exactly that — reports. When a reference outlet like Milano Finanza puts its name to such information, however, its significance grows considerably and warrants serious attention.
Further developments may emerge in the coming days. Casa Milan will be following this story closely, keeping Rossoneri fans updated on every significant development.
Source: Milano Finanza | Blog of lawyer Felice Raimondo
