Forbes list of the most valuable sports teams
The world's most valuable sports teams, as ranked annually by the American magazine Forbes, includes teams from the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and several European association football leagues.
Current ranking
Source[1]
According to the latest ranking from December 12, 2024:
For the ninth straight year, the Dallas Cowboys are the world’s most valuable sports team, worth an estimated $10.1 billion—the first to cross the 11-figure threshold and $1.3 billion beyond their closest competition. But there is plenty of movement among the top 50 teams, with 12 NBA franchises now flooding the ranking, double the six on last year’s list and led by the Golden State Warriors, worth an estimated $8.8 billion and No. 2 overall.
The influx of NBA teams comes at the expense of Major League Baseball, which lost two teams in the top 50 (the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants); Formula 1, which had both of its outfits fall out (Ferrari and Mercedes); and the NFL, which is now missing the Buffalo Bills. (Because of a tie at No. 50 this year between the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, six new teams join the ranking while only five teams depart.
The NFL, however, continues to dominate the list with 29 franchises.
Besides the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions are the only other NFL teams not in the top 50.
Soccer, which had eight clubs in the top 50 a decade ago, including the top three spots, now has seven teams spread across four leagues, with Real Madrid of Spain’s La Liga leading the way at $6.6 billion, tied for 12th overall.
MLB, which had five teams in the top 50 a year ago, now has only three, with the New York Yankees leading the way. Although their value increased from $7.1 billion in 2023 to $7.55 billion in 2024, they dropped from 2nd to 4th overall.
Number one by year
In 2016, the NFL's Dallas Cowboys simultaneously became both the first team to surpass $4 billion in value and the first non–association football team to top the ranking since its inception in 2010. Manchester United (2010–12) and Real Madrid (2013–15) have previously each been named the most valuable team three times.
| Year | Team | Sport | League | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | NFL | $10.1 |
| 2023 | $9.0 | |||
| 2022 | $8.0 | |||
| 2021 | $5.7 | |||
| 2020 | $5.5 | |||
| 2019 | $5.0 | |||
| 2018 | $4.8 | |||
| 2017 | $4.2 | |||
| 2016 | $4.0 | |||
| 2015 | Real Madrid | Association football | La Liga | $3.26 |
| 2014 | $3.44 | |||
| 2013 | $3.30 | |||
| 2012 | Manchester United | Association football | Premier League | $2.23 |
| 2011 | $1.86 | |||
| 2010 | $1.83 |
Previous rankings
2023[2]
2022[3]
2021[4]
2020[5]
2019[6]
2018[7]
2017[8]
2016[9]
| Rank | Team | Sport | League | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | NFL | 4.00 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | Association football | La Liga | 3.65 |
| 3 | FC Barcelona | Association football | La Liga | 3.55 |
| 4 | New York Yankees | Baseball | MLB | 3.40 |
| 5 | Manchester United | Association football | Premier League | 3.32 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | American football | NFL | 3.20 |
| 7 | New York Knicks | Basketball | NBA | 3.00 |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | American football | NFL | 2.85 |
| 9 | New York Giants | American football | NFL | 2.80 |
| 10 | Los Angeles Lakers | Basketball | NBA | 2.70 |
| San Francisco 49ers | American football | NFL |
2015[10]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | 3.26 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | 3.2 |
| New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | ||
| 4 | FC Barcelona | Association football | Spain | 3.16 |
| 5 | Manchester United | Association football | England | 3.1 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Lakers | Basketball | United States | 2.6 |
| New England Patriots | American football | United States | ||
| 8 | New York Knicks | Basketball | United States | 2.5 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball | United States | 2.4 |
| Washington Redskins | American football | United States |
2014[11]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | 3.44 |
| 2 | FC Barcelona | Association football | Spain | 3.2 |
| 3 | Manchester United | Association football | England | 2.81 |
| 4 | New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | 2.5 |
| 5 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | 2.3 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball | United States | 2 |
| 7 | Bayern Munich | Association football | Germany | 1.85 |
| 8 | New England Patriots | American football | United States | 1.8 |
| 9 | Washington Redskins | American football | United States | 1.7 |
| 10 | New York Giants | American football | United States | 1.55 |
2013[12]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | $3.3 |
| 2 | Manchester United | Association football | England | $3.165 |
| 3 | FC Barcelona | Association football | Spain | $2.6 |
| 4 | New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | $2.3 |
| 5 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | $2.1 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | American football | United States | $1.635 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball | United States | $1.615 |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | American football | United States | $1.6 |
| 9 | New York Giants | American football | United States | $1.468 |
| 10 | Arsenal | Association football | England | $1.326 |
2012[13]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | Association football | England | $2.23 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | $1.88 |
| 3 | New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | $1.85 |
| Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | ||
| 5 | Washington Redskins | American football | United States | $1.56 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball | United States | $1.4 |
| New England Patriots | American football | United States | ||
| 8 | FC Barcelona | Association football | Spain | $1.31 |
| 9 | New York Giants | American football | United States | $1.3 |
| 10 | Arsenal | Association football | England | $1.29 |
2011[14]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | Association football | England | $1.86 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | $1.81 |
| 3 | New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | $1.7 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | American football | United States | $1.55 |
| 5 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | $1.45 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | American football | United States | $1.37 |
| 7 | Arsenal | Association football | England | $1.19 |
| 8 | New York Giants | American football | United States | $1.18 |
| 9 | Houston Texans | American football | United States | $1.17 |
| 10 | New York Jets | American football | United States | $1.14 |
2010[15]
| Rank | Team | Sport | Country | Value (USD billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | Association football | England | $1.83 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys | American football | United States | $1.65 |
| 3 | New York Yankees | Baseball | United States | $1.6 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | American football | United States | $1.55 |
| 5 | New England Patriots | American football | United States | $1.36 |
| 6 | Real Madrid | Association football | Spain | $1.32 |
| 7 | New York Giants | American football | United States | $1.18 |
| 8 | Arsenal | Association football | England | $1.18 |
| 9 | New York Jets | American football | United States | $1.17 |
| 10 | Houston Texans | American football | United States | $1.15 |
See also
- Forbes list of the most valuable soccer teams
- Forbes list of the most valuable MLB teams
- Forbes list of the most valuable MLS clubs
- Forbes list of the most valuable NBA teams
- Forbes list of the most valuable NFL teams
- Forbes list of the most valuable NHL teams
- Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada#Franchise valuations
References
- ^ Knight, Brett. "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2024". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- ^ Ozanian, Mike; Teitelbaum, Justin (April 24, 2024). "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2023". Forbes. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Ozanian, Mike (September 8, 2022). "World's Most Valuable Sports Teams 2022". Forbes. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Ozanian, Mike. "World's Most Valuable Sports Teams 2021". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 31, 2020). "The World's Most Valuable Sports Teams 2020". Forbes. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 22, 2019). "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2019". Forbes. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt. "Full List: The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams Of 2018". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 12, 2017). "Full List: The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2017". Forbes. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 13, 2016). "Dallas Cowboys Head The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams Of 2016". Forbes. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 15, 2015). "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2015". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 16, 2014). "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2014". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 15, 2013). "Real Madrid Tops The World's Most Valuable Sports Teams". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 16, 2012). "Manchester United Tops The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (July 12, 2011). "The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Ozanian, Michael K.; Badenhausen, Kurt (July 21, 2010). "The World's Most Valuable Teams And Athletes". Forbes. Retrieved May 8, 2016.