Objective: The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive model for valuing professional sports clubs in Iran, with an emphasis on the role of ownership governance patterns and private sector investment flows.

Methodology: This research employs a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, factors influencing club valuation were identified using a grounded theory approach and semi-structured interviews with 18 experts, including club managers, university professors in the fields of sports management and economics, and private sector investors. In the quantitative phase, the validity of the model was tested using a researcher-made questionnaire distributed among 215 statistical samples, and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).

Findings: The results of the study indicated that ownership governance patterns (including private, governmental, cooperative-fan, and public shareholding ownership) and their components (transparency, ownership concentration, board independence), along with private investment flows (including managerial, economic, legal, and socio-cultural factors), have a significant impact on the valuation of clubs. The final research model demonstrated that the variable "ownership governance patterns" with a path coefficient of 0.54, and the variable "private investment flows" with a path coefficient of 0.61, were able to explain 73% of the variance in the dependent variable (club valuation).

Conclusion: The valuation of professional sports clubs is not a single-factor phenomenon and is influenced by the ownership structure and the level of private investment attraction. Clubs that benefit from a more transparent ownership governance model and possess the capability to attract private investors will achieve higher valuations.