What are the Lynx worth? The answer is more complicated than you might think

Irwin Kishner, co-chair of Herrick's Sports Law Group and co-chair of Herrick's Corporate Department, was quoted in The Minnesota Star Tribune in an article discussing the potential sale of controlling stakes in Minnesota's NBA and WNBA franchises and the rising and complicated valuation of women's sports teams. 

A consideration in the valuation is the WNBA's ownership structure, which includes WNBA team owners, NBA team owners and investor groups. The article also notes additional factors that complicate pricing including the lack of financial transparency in the league, that the WNBA teams are not bought and sold every day and the lack of historical data making it difficult to benchmark their worth. 

The article also discusses that having sister organizations, such as the Wolves and the Lynx, make it difficult to separate the teams' revenue and expenses. Irwin said "sister teams are valued by buyers as separate and distinct assets — even when part of one transaction. But there’s still overlap. A buyer could value each franchise individually, while also considering the benefits of owning both."

Read the full article in The Minnesota Star Tribune here. Access may require a subscription.