20 Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World
Throughout the pandemic, the phrase "the rich get richer" took on a deeper meaning. Tech leaders weren't alone, and owners of teams sports saw their values rise significantly. According to Forbes, the average value of the world’s top sports teams jumped 9.9% in 2021 to $3.4 billion.
Here are the top 20:
1. Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
• Value: $5.7 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 43%
• Owner: Jerry Jones
• Year Purchased: 1989
• Price Paid: $150 million
2. New York Yankees (MLB)
• Value: $5.25 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 54%
• Owner: Steinbrenner family
• Year Purchased: 1973
• Price Paid: $8.8 million
3. New York Knicks (NBA)
• Value: $5 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 67%
• Owner: Madison Square Garden Sports
• Year Purchased: 1997
• Price Paid: $300 million
4. Barcelona (Soccer)
• Value: $4.76 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 34%
• Owner: club members
• Year Purchased: not applicable
• Price Paid: not applicable
5. Real Madrid (Soccer)
• Value: $4.75 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 30%
• Owner: club members
• Year Purchased: not applicable
• Price Paid: not applicable
6. Golden State Warriors (NBA)
• Value: $4.7 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 147%
• Owner: Joe Lacob, Peter Gruber
• Year Purchased: 2010
• Price Paid: $450 million
7. Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
• Value: $4.6 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 70%
• Owner: Jerry Buss Family Trusts, Philip Anschutz
• Year Purchased: 1979, 1998
• Price Paid: $20 million, $268 million
8. New England Patriots (NFL)
• Value: $4.4 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 38%
• Owner: Robert Kraft
• Year Purchased: 1994
• Price Paid: $172 million
9. New York Giants (NFL)
• Value: $4.3 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 54%
• Owner: John Mara, Steven Tisch
• Year Purchased: 1925, 1991
• Price Paid: $500, $150 million
10. Bayern Munich (Soccer)
• Value: $4.21 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 57%
• Owner: club members
• Year Purchased: not applicable
• Price Paid: not applicable
11. Manchester United (Soccer)
• Value: $4.2 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 27%
• Owner: Glazer family
• Year Purchased: 2005
• Price Paid: $1.4 billion
12. Liverpool (Soccer)
• Value: $4.1 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 165%
• Owner: John Henry, Tom Werner
• Year Purchased: 2010
• Price Paid: $476 million
13 (tie). Los Angeles Rams (NFL)
• Value: $4 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 176%
• Owner: Stanley Kroenke
• Year Purchased: 2010
• Price Paid: $750 million
13 (tie). Manchester City (Soccer)
• Value: $4 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 108%
• Owner: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Year Purchased: 2008
• Price Paid: $385 million
15. San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
• Value: $3.8 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 41%
• Owner: Denise DeBartolo York, John York
• Year Purchased: 1977
• Price Paid: $13 million
16. Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)
• Value: $3.57 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 43%
• Owner: Guggenheim Baseball Management
• Year Purchased: 2012
• Price Paid: $2 billion
17. New York Jets (NFL)
• Value: $3.55 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 37%
• Owner: Johnson family
• Year Purchased: 2000
• Price Paid: $635 million
18. Chicago Bears (NFL)
• Value: $3.53 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 44%
• Owner: McCaskey family
• Year Purchased: 1920
• Price Paid: $100
19. Washington Football Team (NFL)
• Value: $3.5 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 23%
• Owner: Daniel Snyder
• Year Purchased: 1999
• Price Paid: $750 million
20. Boston Red Sox (MLB)
• Value: $3.47 billion
• Five-Year Change In Value: 51%
• Owner: John Henry, Tom Werner
• Year Purchased: 2002
• Price Paid: $380 million
You can read Forbes' full list, which goes to 50, but here are some thoughts on the top 20:
It's eye-opening to see the prices paid and what the teams are worth now. $150 million for the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. It's 2021 and the team is now worth $5.7 billion. That's an ROI the rich guys dream of.
I expected to see the Cowboys at No. 1, but I didn't expect to see the Yankees and Knicks, teams 2 and 3, in the same $5 billion category. Granted, there is a difference between $5.7 billion (Cowboys) and $5 billion (Knicks).
It's rather surprising to see the Warriors ahead of the Lakers, no? Did you expect that?
Nevertheless, owning a sports team is a good life, if you can find a way to have it.