The 32 Most Valuable Sports Teams In The World
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Despite the pandemic, the value of the top 50 most valuable sports teams on the planet increased by 30% from 2021 to 2022, to a whopping $222.7 billion. Today, we’re taking a look at the top half of that list. Due to some ties in value, there are actually 32 teams on the list.
1. Dallas Cowboys, $8.0 billion
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: NFL
Owner: Jerry Jones
Within the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have been the most valuable team since the late 2000s. When you take into consideration every sports team around, Real Madrid were the most valuable until 2016 when the Cowboys took over and they’ve been the most valuable team in the world ever since.
2. New England Patriots, $6.4 billion
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: NFL
Owner: Robert Kraft
The New England Patriots are the second most valuable team in the National Football League and this is still largely because of the Brady-Belichick era, but the franchise history of winning 6 Super Bowls and having arguably the best coach in league history also has a lot to do with it.
3. Los Angeles Rams, $6.2 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owner: Stanley Kroenke
From 2020 to 2021, the Los Angeles Rams had a whopping 20% increase in their value, which was 6% more than the NFL’s average in that same time period. When you consider that they’ve since won the Super Bowl, the 107% increase in value over the last five-years shouldn't seem too shocking.
4. New York Yankees, $6.0 billion (tied)
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: MLB
Owners: Steinbrenner family
You don’t have to know the first thing about baseball to know the New York Yankees and recognize their world-famous logo that is often seen on fitted caps and snapbacks. Their branding alone makes it no surprise that they’re the only MLB team worth over $4.1 billion, at a whopping $6.0 billion. All this, despite the fact that the team’s last championship was nearly 15 years ago.
5. New York Giants, $6.0 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owners: John Mara and Steven Tisch
Although they haven’t had a great run in recent times, the New York Giants’ history and the simple fact that they’re a New York team puts them high up on this list here and 4th on the list of the most valuable teams in their league.
6. New York Knicks, $5.8 billion (tied)
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Sports league: NBA
Owner: Madison Square Garden Sports
The New York Knicks have been the most valuable team in the NBA for the best part of a decade. Through all of their struggles as a team, they remain beloved amongst New Yorkers. They took the spot as the most valuable NBA team from the Lakers when they signed an incredibly lucrative cable deal.
7.. Chicago Bears, $5.8 billion (tied)
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Sports league: NFL
Owners: McCaskey family
A cool and unbelievable stat about the Chicago Bears when it comes to their value is that just over 100 years ago in 1920, they were purchased by George Halas for $100. No, that’s not a typo. That’s the equivalent of around $1,418, which is around a 249,000,000% increase in value.
8. Golden State Warriors, $5.6 billion (tied)
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Sports league: NBA
Owners: Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber
From 2016 to 2020, the Golden State Warriors had a growth of 147% in value, one of the highest among the top 50 most valuable sports teams in the world. This is largely due to their championship success in that period and it made them the second most valuable team in the NBA, above even the great brand that is the L.A. Lakers.
9. Washington Commanders, $5.6 billion (tied)
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Sports league: NFL
Owner: Daniel Snyder
The Washington Commanders don’t have a great reputation as of late but their recent acquisition of Carson Wentz could do something to change that. Their rebuild period could be coming to the end but despite it, from 2016 to 2020, their value increased by 23%.
10. Los Angeles Lakers, $5.5 billion
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Sports league: NBA
Owners: Jerry Buss Family Trusts and Phillip Anschutz
Not only is the purple and gold of the L.A. Lakers one of the best sports brands ever, but in 2012, the team signed a $4 billion, 20-year deal with Time Warner. This means that regardless of the trouble that they currently find themselves in, they won’t be losing any value or even growing at a much slower rate anytime soon.
11. New York Jets, $5.4 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owners: Johnson family
New York is a massive media market so in spite of the lack of success that the Jets have seen in recent years, they remain in a top spot with a value of just over $4.8 billion.
12. San Francisco 49ers, $5.2 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owners: Denise DeBartolo York and John York
The 49ers didn’t see as much growth from 2020 to 2021 as many of the other teams in the league did and they have a low operating income, but the San Francisco football team remains one of the most valuable teams in the NFL, and sports in general. As the ride a wave of constant success, they remain very profitable.
13. Real Madrid CF, $5.1 billion (tied)
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: La Liga
Owners: Club members
Two spots in-front of Barcelona is their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, coming in with a valuation of $5.1 billion, just $10 million more than Barca. For those that don’t follow soccer and don’t understand the scope of it, it’s truly hard to fathom how big this Spanish team is. In 2013, 2014, and 2015, this team topped the list of the most valuable sports teams. The El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona is one of the biggest and highly-touted rivalries in all of sports.
14. Las Vegas Raiders, $5.1 billion (tied)
Image credit: (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Sports League: NFL
Owner: Mark Davis
Although the Raiders jumped ship from Oakland to Las Vegas, they still have one of the most active fandoms in all of sports. The Davis family has owned the Raiders since purchasing it in 1966 for $180,000. They have been playing in Las Vegas since 2020.
15. FC Barcelona, $5 billion (tied)
Image credit: Gett Images
Sports league: La Liga
Owners: Club members
Not only is Barcelona the fifteenth most valuable sports team in the world, the 2nd most valuable soccer team in the world and one of the few non-American teams on the list, but in terms of revenue, they are the world’s richest club, with an annual turnover of nearly $800 million.
16. Philadelphia Eagles, $4.9 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owner: Jeffrey Lurie
This might be a somewhat surprising entry in the list for people but for the Philadelphia Eagles, their passionate fanbase and their recent Super Bowl win has done a lot for their $4.9 billion valuation.
17. Houston Texans, $4.7 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owner: Janice McNair
Considering the Houston Texans are one of just four NFL teams to have never made it to the Super Bowl, they’re doing a great job here with their valuation of $4.7 billion. They were founded in 1999 and were owned then by Bob McNair who tragically passed away in 2018.
18. Denver Broncos, $4.65 billion
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Sports league: NFL
Owner: Rob Walton
The Broncos were recently aquired by Rob Walton and Walton-Penner group for a whopping $4.65 billion, giving them their valuation. On this list, they’re tied for 25th place with a couple of other teams in different leagues and sports entirely.
19. Manchester United F.C., $4.6 billion (tied)
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: Premier League
Owners: Glazer family
Manchester United sat atop the list of the most valuable sports teams in 2010, 2011, and 2012, before they were knocked off the spot by Real Madrid. Even then, it took until 2019 for them to get knocked out of the top 5. Following the Munich air disaster in 1958, Matt Busby is credited with rebuilding the team and setting the foundation for what they have become in the subsequent decades.
20.) Miami Dolphins, $4.6 billion (tied
Image credit: (David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Sports league: NFL
Owners: Stephen Ross
The Miami Dolphins look like a reinvigorated franchise behind the guidance of first year head coach Mike McDaniels. In 2008, Stephen Ross bought 50% of the Dolphins franchise and later purchased an additional 45% in January 2009 at a total value of $1.1 billion.
21. Seattle Seahawks, $4.5 billion
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Sports League: NFL
Owner: Paul G. Allen Trust
The Seahawks saw a peak in popularity and success in the early 2010's, going to two Super Bowl's and winning one. They were headlined by the "Legion of Boom", the nickname given to their stifling defensive tenacity. Lumen Field where the Seahawks play is known as one of the loudest stadiums in professional sports.
22. Liverpool F.C., $4.45 billion
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: Premier League
Owners: Fenway Sports Group
Liverpool F.C. are very much a global brand and the team is notorious for having a lot of supporters all around the world. This is a large part of the reason that the team has a valuation of over $4 billion. LeBron James is also a minority owner of the club, acquiring 2% in 2011.
23. FC Bayern Munich, $4.28 billion
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: Bundesliga
Owners: Club members
If you’re an American sports fan, then grasping the way that soccer leagues work can be confusing. Luckily, you can read up about it here. Essentially, the Bundesliga is the premier soccer league in Germany and Bayern Munich is not only the most valuable soccer team there but the most valuable sports team in the country as well.
24. Manchester City, $4.25 billion (tied)
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: Premier League
Owner: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
From 2016-2020, Manchester City saw a 108% growth in value, the 6th highest amongst the top 50 highest valued sports teams in the world. City became one of the top six in the 2010s and has since become a powerhouse not just in the Premier League or even soccer, but on the planet.
25. Green Bay Packers, $4.25 billion (tied)
Image credit: (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Sports League: NFL
Owner: Shareholders
The Packers are one of the original NFL teams and have one of the strangest ownership structures in professional sports. Fans can buy shares of the Packers when made available every couple of years. Owning a share gives you voting rights and an invitation to their annual corporate meeting.
26. Los Angeles Dodgers, $4.08 billion
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Sports league: MLB
Owners: Guggenheim Baseball Management
The Los Angeles Dodgers are owned by Guggenheim Baseball Management who even if you haven’t heard of by name, you likely know the people associated with the brand. Of course, this team was originally the Brooklyn Dodgers and they moved to L.A. in the late 1950s. New York and L.A. are good homes for any teams, as the valuation shows.
27. Atlanta Falcons, $4.0 billion
Image credit: (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Sports league: NFL
Owner: Arthur Blank
The Atlanta Falcons saw a wave of success in the 2010's behind the quarterback play of Matt Ryan. They would tragically blow a lead in the Superbowl and never regain their spot back as a contending team. In February 2002, Arthur Blank bought the Atlanta Falcons, for $545 million.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers, $3.98 billion
Image credit: (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Sports League: NFL
Owner: Daniel Rooney Trust, Arthur Rooney II
The Pittsburg Steelers are tied with the Patriots for the winningest NFL franchise, with six total Super Bowls. The Rooney family has been the sole owners of the franchise since Art Rooney founded the team in 1933. It cost Rooney only $2,500 to purchase the franchise fee to create the team.
29. Minnesota Vikings, $3.93 billion
Image credit: (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Sports League: NFL
Owner: Zygmunt Wilf
The Minnesota Vikings look to have what could be the greatest wide receiver the world has ever seen in Justin Jefferson, and he helps fill stadiums and sell jerseys. Zygmunt Wilf has owned the Vikings since he purchased the team from founder Red McCombs in 2005. Wilf, along with his brother Mark and four other partners, purchased the team for $600 million.
30. Boston Red Sox, $3.9 billion (tied)
Image credit: Getty Images
Sports league: MLB
Owners: John Henry, Thomas Werner
Since their establishment in 1901, the Red Sox have won 9 World Series, tied for the third-most in MLB history. Interestingly, they’re owned by the same owners as the aforementioned Liverpool F.C., Fenway Sports Group, whose client base includes LeBron James and Johnny Manziel amongst its clients.
31. Baltimore Ravens, $3.9 billion (tied)
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Sports league: NFL
Owners: Stephen Bisciotti
The Baltimore Ravens have been under intense contract talks with franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson, but have been unsuccessful at reaching a deal. They have steadily been one of the best teams in the NFL over the last two decades, winning two Superbowls. Bisciotti bought a minority interest in the Ravens from Art Modell in 2000, completing the purchase of the franchise on April 9, 2004.
32. Los Angeles Chargers, $3.88 billion
Image credit: (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Sports league: NFL
Owners: Dean Spanos
The Charges moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017, and not many people seemed to notice. People did however notice the construction of SoFi Stadium, the more than $5 billion dollar stadium the Chargers built which stands at the forefront of sports, technology, and architecture.
