We already know that professional sports is a major global industry, but not all sports franchises are equal. From the Dallas Cowboys to the New Orleans Saints, we put together a graphic to rank the top 50 most valuable sports teams around the world.
- Traditional sports have large, dedicated fanbases, but eSports are on the rise. The forthcoming Fortnite Championship, for example, will have $10 million prize pool.
- Though Football isn’t an international sport, Football franchises account for three of the top 10 most valuable sports teams in the world.
- Pay gap issues continue to plague the sports industry and have come under additional scrutiny following the United States Women’s National Team World Cup win.
- Several NBA teams have increased in value since last year. NBA franchises now take up nine spots in the list of top 50 most valuable sports franchises.
Every year, Forbes reveals its list of the world’s most valuable sports teams. We used this data to create an easy-to-read graphic demonstrating the world’s largest franchises.
Our graphic not only ranks the most valuable global sports teams, but also shows us the most valuable teams in each of the world’s major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, LaLiga, Premier League, and more.
Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World:
1. Dallas Cowboys: $5 billion
2. New York Yankees: $4.6 billion
3. Real Madrid: $4.24 billion
4. Barcelona: $4.02 billion
5. New York Knicks: $4 billion
6. Manchester United: $3.81 billion
7. New England Patriots: $3.8 billion
8. Los Angeles Lakers: $3.7 billion
9. Golden State Warriors: $3.5 billion
10. Los Angeles Dodgers: $3.3 billion
Despite not having won a championship in decades and not being a part of an international sports league, the Dallas Cowboys remain the world’s most valuable sports franchise at an astounding $5 billion.
But it’s not just the Cowboys. The NFL is the world’s most dominant league when it comes to the value of its franchises. More than half of the top 50 most valuable sports teams are football teams.
Aside from the NFL, the top 50 is made up mostly of the teams you would expect to see there, including major franchises like the New York Yankees, New York Knicks, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and more.
While traditional sports teams continue to dominate the sports industry, eSports is quickly rising in value and popularity. The Fortnite Championship Series, for example, will have more than $10 million in prize money up for grabs. It may not be too long before we see an eSports franchise take a spot on the list of most valuable sports teams.
By analyzing this graphic, we can get a better understanding of how much the world’s most popular sports teams are worth, and how much of an impact they have on the global economy.
Do you expect eSports to continue to increase in popularity, or do you think it’s just a fad? Are you surprised by any of the teams on this list? Let us know in the comment section.
Data: Table 1.1