American sport franchise are insanely valuable. Between the ticket sales the TV deals and all that merchandise, it's not a surprise that teams are worth so much. Forbes put together the 50 most valuable sports franchises, and we've narrowed it down to the top 15 American teams.
Several non-American teams cracked the Top 15 overall as well. Real Madrid placed second ($3.65 billion), Barcelona third ($3.55 billion), Manchester United ($3.32 billion) fifth and Bayern Munich 12th ($2.68 billion). No NHL teams made the list, as hockey continues to lag behind baseball, football and basketball in America. The NFL is by far King in American sports, with nine of the top 15. With that in mind, here are the 15 most valuable American sports franchises.
T-15. Chicago Bulls - $2.3 Billion
Here's the first NBA team. The Bulls jumped in value by 15 percent and led the NBA in attendance for the seventh straight season. Only the Warriors (who didn't make the list) sold more merchandise than the Bulls.
T-15. Boston Red Sox - $2.3 Billion
The Red Sox are the first of three MLB teams to make the cut. They jumped 10 percent in value, and that's despite two rough seasons entering this year.
13. Philadelphia Eagles - $2.4 Billion
The Eagles are the first of several NFL teams on the list. The NFL does dominate American sports after all. The Eagles had a 37 percent rise in value. That's a lot, but it's not the most among NFL teams.
12. Chicago Bears - $2.45 Billion
Here's the second Chicago team. The Bears haven't been that great in recent years, but the Chicago market is a strong one. The Bears jumped 44 percent in value this year.
T-10. Houston Texans - $2.5 Billion
Yeah, it's a bit of a surprise that the Texans are so high right? But a 35 percent rise in value helps in a big way. However, the Texans aren't the most valuable NFL team in Texas.
T-10. Los Angeles Dodgers - $2.5 Billion
The Dodgers rose by four percent and are one of most valuable baseball teams. Given their payroll of over $300 million last year, that shouldn't be a major surprise.
9. New York Jets - $2.6 Billion
This is the first of three New York based teams to make the list. (There's a reason 'big markets' are a selling point to players.) The Jets' value jumped by an impressive 44 percent.
T-7. San Francisco 49ers - $2.7 Billion
Despite a rough season on the field, the 49ers' value jumped by an absurd 69 percent. The completion of Levi's Stadium surely helped in that regard. The 49ers had $1 billion in ticket and sponsorship deals thanks to the stadium.
T-7. Los Angeles Lakers - $2.7 Billion
Despite recent struggles, the Lakers are still a valuable franchise. The Lakers are actually the most profitable franchise, but they aren't the most valuable in the NBA.
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6. New York Giants - $2.8 Billion
This is the second of all four NFC East teams. The Giants had a massive 33 percent jump in value, and that nearly vaulted them into the top five.
5. Washington Redskins - $2.85 Billion
The Redskins, like many of the NFL teams, had a big rise in value. The Redskins jumped 19 percent. The Redskins have boom-or-bust on the field, winning the NFC East twice in the last eight years and finishing in last the other six.
4. New York Knicks - $3 Billion
That's right - the Knicks lead the way for the NBA despite winning just one playoff series in 16 years. The Knicks get a big boost from expensive ticks and sponsorships at Madison Square Garden.
3. New England Patriots - $3.2 Billion
The Patriots took a 23 percent jump in value, as the NFL continues to show it's King in the US. The Patriots have had plenty of success in recent years, but aren't the top NFL team. Including overseas teams, the Pats are actually sixth.
2. New York Yankees - $3.4 Billion
The Yankees rose by six percent and are the top MLB team. The Yankees' success in 2016 comes despite a drop in attendance. Of course, they still led the American League in that attendance.
1. Dallas Cowboys - $4 Billion
The Cowboys jumped by 25 percent and are the first team to reach $4 billion. They haven't won a Super Bowl in 20 years, but they winning in the value department.
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