In a 32-0 vote Tuesday, the NFL approved the $4.65 billion purchase of the Denver Broncos by the Walton-Penner group, which used $3.9 billion in financing to close the deal, according to a source familiar with the agreement.

The NFL has a debt limit of $1 billion on the purchase of the controlling interest of a team. But when you’re worth $60 billion, like Rob Walton, there are simple ways to end-run the rule—at least in the short term.

The financing consists of a $3.7 billion short-term loan that won’t be reflected on the team’s balance sheet, a $200 million loan from the league that will, $500 million of cash from the controlling group and $250 million of cash from limited partners. The reason the short-term loan isn’t considered team debt is that it’s likely a personal loan against Walton’s own assets rather than those of the Broncos franchise, the person said.

Personal loans are often used by wealthy people to close a deal so the buyer doesn’t have to quickly sell considerable assets, like stocks, and provide breathing room until long-term financing can be secured.

Walton will own 34% of the team, according to the source; his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner, will each own 30%. Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments, is down for 5.5% while Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has a 0.2% stake and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s share of the team is 0.13%, the source said.