Lifestyle & Money

Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World

Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the sports industry into turmoil, with the past couple of years doing no good to elite sports.

However, in spite of curtailed seasons, postponed or cancelled tournaments, and matches behind closed doors, the average value of the world’s most valuable sports teams has taken an upward curve.

While the sports industry struggles to bounce back from the pandemic shutdowns and the knock-on effect of the coronavirus, the billionaire owners continue to thrive.

The majority of them are currently preoccupied with acquiring assets in soccer.

So it comes as no surprise that European heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid have made the top-10 list of the world’s most valuable sports teams.

As ever, North American sports sit at the tree.

American Football is still responsible for more than 50% of the top 50 most valuable sports teams, with basketball, baseball and soccer lagging behind.

Based on research by Football Today, here is the list of the 50 most valuable sports teams:

  1. Dallas Cowboys – $6.5 billion – NFL
  2. New York Yankees – $6 billion – MLB
  3. New York Knicks – $5.8 billion – NBA
  4. Golden State Warriors – $5.6 billion – NBA
  5. Los Angeles Lakers – $5.5 billion – NBA
  6. New England Patriots – $5 billion – NFL
  7. New York Giants – $4.85 billion – NFL
  8. Los Angeles Rams – $4.8 billion – NFL
  9. Real Madrid – $4.8 billion – Soccer
  10. Barcelona – $4.7 billion – Soccer
  11. Bayern Munich – $4.21 billion – Soccer

=12. Manchester United – $4.2 billion – Soccer

=12. Washington Commanders – $4.2 billion – NFL

  1. San Francisco 49ers – $4.175 billion – NFL
  2. Liverpool – $4.1 billion – Soccer

=16. Chicago Bears – $4.075 billion – NFL

=16. Los Angeles Dodgers – $4.075 billion – MLB

  1. New York Jets – $4.05 billion – NFL
  2. Manchester City – $4 billion – Soccer
  3. Boston Red Sox – $3.9 billion – MLB

=21. Chicago Cubs – $3.8 billion – MLB

=21. Philadelphia Eagles – $3.8 billion – NFL

  1. Denver Broncos – $3.75 billion – NFL
  2. Houston Texans – $3.7 billion – NFL
  3. Chicago Bulls – $3.65 billion – NBA
  4. Boston Celtics – $3.55 billion – NBA

=27. San Francisco Giants – $3.5 billion – MLB

=27. Seattle Seahawks – $3.5 billion – NFL

  1. Green Bay Packers – $3.475 billion – NFL
  2. Pittsburgh Steelers – $3.43 billion – NFL
  3. Miami Dolphins – $3.42 billion – NFL
  4. Las Vegas Raiders – $3.415 billion – NFL
  5. Baltimore Ravens – $3.4 billion – NFL
  6. Minnesota Vikings – $3.35 billion – NFL
  7. Los Angeles Clippers – $3.3 billion – NBA
  8. Indianapolis Colts – $3.25 billion – NFL

=37. Atlanta Falcons – $3.2 billion – NFL

=37. Brooklyn Nets – $3.2 billion – NBA

=37. Chelsea – $3.2 billion – Soccer

  1. Los Angeles Chargers – $2.9 billion – NFL

=41. Arsenal – $2.8 billion – Soccer

=41. Carolina Panthers – $2.8 billion – NFL

=43. Houston Rockets – $2.75 billion – NBA

=43. Kansas City Chiefs – $2.75 billion – NFL

=45. Dallas Mavericks – $2.7 billion – NBA

=45. New Orleans Saints – $2.7 billion – NFL

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars – $2.68 billion – NFL
  2. New York Mets – $2.65 billion – MLB

=49. Cleveland Browns – $2.5 billion – NFL

=49. Paris Saint-Germain – $2.5 billion – Soccer

NFL Teams Top the Charts

As you can see, NFL teams are off the charts, with Dallas Cowboys leading the way with a massive $6.5bn valuation.

In addition to Jerry Jones’ franchise, New England Patriots ($5bn), New York Giants ($4.85bn) and Los Angeles Rams ($4.8bn) are the three remaining NFL teams in the top 10.

But if you look outside the top 10, you will find another 22 NFL teams featuring in the top 50.

MLB’s Revenues Hitting the Roof

A new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in Major League Baseball will likely help to lift the clubs in the valuation rankings in the coming years.

Several new sources of sponsorship revenue, including jersey patches and helmet decals, will come into effect from next season onwards. MLB live streaming has also become exceedingly popular, and the international rights for MLB games will continue to fetch more money, thus making a franchise that much more lucrative.

Owned by the Steinbrenner family, New York Yankees have become the first baseball team to hit a $6bn milestone.

Three NBA Teams in the Top 5

As the most popular basketball league on the planet, the NBA has three teams enjoying themselves high in the top-10 list.

Indeed, New York Knicks ($5.8bn), Golden State Warriors ($5.6bn) and Los Angeles Lakers ($5.5bn) are all in the top five.

For the first time, the three NBA teams have smashed the $5bn barrier, but no one can put it past any of them to hit the $6bn mark before too long.

Based on the recent forecasts, the next round of national broadcast deals should double in value as early as 2025.

It would all but secure steady cash flow in the world’s most prestigious basketball league.

Soccer on the Upward Spiral

One would think Premier League clubs belong to this distinguished group of the world’s most valuable teams, but they would be wrong.

The Premier League itself remains the most attractive soccer competition on the planet, yet the most valuable clubs are on the Iberian Peninsula.

Despite dealing with financial issues over the past few years, Barcelona ($4.76bn) and Real Madrid ($4.75bn) have earned their place in the top 10.

But soccer’s steady growth has seen three clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Manchester City, double in value over the past five years.