Most valuable sports franchises

Soccer may still struggle to gain a spot in the American sports consciousness, but the game is big business just about everywhere else in the world. That’s why a soccer (er, football) club tops Forbes‘ list of the “10 Most Valuable Teams in Sports,” and why two others make the Top 10.

Fear not, fans of the staid old National Football League. No fewer than six of your favorites made the cut, compared to just one entry from Major League Baseball. (We’ll give you one guess who that might be…)

Here’s the rundown, with current estimated worth:

1. Manchester United (soccer): $1.8 billion

2. Dallas Cowboys (American football): $1.6 billion

3. Washington Redskins (American football): $1.5 billion

4. New England Patriots (American football): $1.32 billion

5. New York Yankees (Major League Baseball): $1.3 billion

6. Real Madrid (soccer):$1.29 billion

7. Arsenal (soccer):$1.2 billion

8. New York Giants (American football): $1.18 billion

9. New York Jets (American football): $1.17 billion

10. Houston Texans (American football): $1.17 billion

To read more about what makes these clubs so valuable, and to see a slideshow, visit Forbes.

Advertisement