It is no secret that top-tier professional sports are big business, particularly in the United States, where the county’s citizens live and breathe their favorite teams. Loyal fans often spend thousands of dollars purchasing tickets to games, beverages while at those games, jerseys to display their team’s colors with pride, and media companies spend billions for the rights to broadcast those games. All details about Dallas Cowboys.
The top 50 most valuable sports teams on the planet have a combined value of $222.7 billion. Those who keep abreast of such information will be aware this is a 30% increase from the figures Forbes published 12 months ago. National Football League (NFL) teams dominate the latest sports teams rich list, released in September. Thirty of the 32 NFL franchises are in the current top 50. The NFL’s popularity is at an all-time high, with the league selling a media package that runs through 2032 for an eye-popping $112 billion.
Last month, the Denver Broncos sold for $4.65 billion, a record for a sports team. To put that astronomical sum into perspective, MGM Resorts sold the iconic Bellagio Las Vegas casino in October 2019 for $4.3 billion. Told you that elite-level sports are big business. Which teams are the most valuable globally? You are about to find out.
Dallas Cowboys – $8 billion
The Dallas Cowboys, with a Forbes valuation of some $8 billion, is the world’s most valuable sports team. The Dallas Cowboys have topped the rich list since 2016 and show no signs of letting go of their lofty title. Indeed, there is a $1.6 billion difference between the valuation of the Dallas Cowboys and the next most valuable franchise. That is a massive difference to makeup; some would say a gap that is impossible to bridge.
Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys in February 1989, paying the bargain price of $140 million for the franchise. Even accounting for inflation, Jones only paid circa. $300 million in today’s money, and that investment has swelled to $8 billion.
Unfortunately for Jones and seasoned Dallas Cowboys fans, the team has not been as successful as they hoped, despite being the world’s most valuable team. The Dallas Cowboys has only won the Super Bowl three times during Jones’ 33-year reign and are often seen as the NFL’s greatest underachievers.
New England Patriots – $6.4 billion
The New England Patriots come in second in the world’s most valuable sports teams, with a valuation of $6.4 billion, a 73% increase over the past five years. Like the Dallas Cowboys, the New England Patriots last changed hands at a bargain price. Robert Kraft, a paper magnate, parted company with $172 million to acquire the New England Patriots. That is where the similarities with the Dallas Cowboys end.
Where the Dallas Cowboys have failed to dazzle on the football field, the New England Patriots enjoyed a dominant period under Kraft’s stewardship. New England Patriots have won the Super Bowl six times since the year 2000, tying them with the Pittsburgh Steelers for titles won. All six of those titles were won by head coach Bill Belichick, who has also guided the team to 17 AFC East division titles.
Los Angeles Rams – $6.2 billion
Third place on the world’s most valuable sports team list is the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. Of all the teams in the top five, the Los Angeles Rams ownership changed the most recent, with Stanley Kroenke putting his hand in his pocket and finding $750 million to buy the franchise in 2010. Even though Kroenke paid five times more for the Los Angeles Rams than Jerry Jones spent on the Dallas Cowboys, it still seems like a pretty solid investment.
The Los Angeles Rams are one of the fastest-growing sports teams globally. Forbes placed a $1.45 billion valuation on the team in 2015. The team’s controversial relocation from St. Louis to Los Angeles was worth it in terms of valuation because it almost doubled to $2.9 billion in 2016. Fast-forward to today, the Los Angeles Rams are worth $6.2 billion, ranking them third in the world. That is a meteoric rise.
New York Yankees – $6 billion
The New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) is the only non-NFL team in the latest sports teams rich list. The world-famous baseball outfit is worth a cool $6 billion. If you thought the initial investments of the previous teams were a bargain, consider George Steinbrenner only paid $8.8 million for the New York Yankees in 1973. That is the equivalent of $53 million in today’s money. Still, it is a remarkable turnaround in valuation.
The New York Yankees were ranked second behind the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 but have since slipped to fourth. The fact the Yankees have added close to $750 million to their valuation since 2020, during a period where the MLB is in a state of decline, is nothing short of remarkable.
Part of the reason for the Yankees’ monster-sized valuation is the team’s enormous fanbase. You can travel to any destination in the world, and you can bet your bottom dollar you will see someone sporting a New York Yankees baseball cap or other apparel. The marketing team at the Yankees has done a stellar job in creating a cool global brand, even if you do not follow baseball.
New York Giants – $6 billion
The New York Giants are tied in fourth place with the New York Yankees, valued at $6 billion. Businessman and bookmaker Tim Mara founded the New York Giants in 1925 with an initial investment of $500! Mara handed over the ownership of the New York Giants to his sons Wellington and Jack after the 1929 Stock Market Crash. Tim passed away in 1959, and Jack in 1969.
In 1990, Wellington sold half of the team to Bob Tisch for $150 million. The duo worked alongside each other daily for 15 years until Wellington died in 2005. Tisch passed away a fortnight later, leaving the duo’s son as the owners of the New York Giants.
The New York Giants remain one of the most popular NFL teams and regularly finish the season in the top three for game attendances. Those loyal fans have helped push the New York Giants’ valuation from $1.183 billion in 2010 to $6 billion today.