Even though we’ve seen less of it than ever before over the past year, sports is still king.
According to Forbes’ “World’s Most Valuable Sports Teams” list released on Friday, the average value of the most valuable franchises jumped 9.9% from last year and 55% from five years ago. The list includes twenty-six professional football franchises, nine NBA organizations, six MLB franchises, and nine soccer clubs.
The Daily Wire took a deep dive at the list to see which American sports organizations made the cut. See the top five in each league below.
NFL
Dallas Cowboys (#1 overall)
The Cowboys are valued at $5.7 billion in 2021. Jerry Jones, arguably the most famous owner in professional sports, purchased the franchise for $150 million in 1989. Despite leading the most valuable list, Dallas hasn’t reached a Super Bowl since 1996.
New England Patriots (#8 overall)
Patriots owner Robert Kraft is sitting pretty as the Patriots are valued at $4.4 billion. Kraft bought the team in 1994 for $172 million. Under Kraft, New England has won a record six Super Bowls.
New York Giants (#9 overall)
According to Forbes, the Giants are worth $4.3 billion in 2021. They are co-owned by Steven Tisch and John Mara (of the legendary Mara family). Tisch became co-owner in 1991 for $500 million.
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Los Angeles Rams (tied for #13 overall)
Owner Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids and Arsenal, purchased the St. Louis Rams in 2010 for $750 million. He relocated the Rams to Los Angeles in 2016 and the franchise has increased in value since, currently sitting at a reported $4 billion.
San Francisco 49ers (#15 overall)
The 49ers are valued at $3.8 billion after being purchased in 1977 for $13 million. Denise DeBartolo York and John York own the team and moved the 49ers from San Francisco to their current home in Santa Clara in 2014.
NBA
New York Knicks (#3 overall)
The “Mecca of Basketball” should have an NBA team in the top five. Owned by Madison Square Garden Sports, the Knicks were purchased in 1997 for $300 million and are now valued at $5 billion. The Knicks haven’t won an NBA Finals since 1973.
Golden State Warriors (#6 overall)
The Warriors are valued at $4.7 billion after being purchased in 2010 by Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber. The Warriors have experienced incredible success in recent years, winning three of the last six NBA championships. In 2020, the Warriors moved from Oakland to their new arena in San Francisco.
Los Angeles Lakers (#7 overall)
The iconic franchise is valued at $4.6 billion after being purchased by Jerry Buss in 1979. In 1998, Philip Anschutz bought into ownership, paying $268 million. The Lakers won the NBA title in 2020.
Chicago Bulls (tied for #23 overall)
Jerry Reinsdorf purchased the Bulls in 1985 for $16.2 million. The franchise is now valued at $3.3 billion and has won six championships since Reinsdorf took over.
Boston Celtics (tied for #25 overall)
Purchased in 2002 for $360 million, the Celtics are now valued at $3.2 billion. They are owned by Wycliffe Grousbeck, Irving Grousbeck, Robert Epstein, and Stephen Pagliuca. The Celtics last won a championship in 2008.
MLB
New York Yankees (#2 overall)
The Steinbrenner family has owned the Yankees since 1973 when they purchased the team for $8.8 million. The franchise is now valued at $5.25 billion. The Yankees have seven World Series rings since the Steinbrenner family took over.
Los Angeles Dodgers (#16 overall)
Purchased in 2012 by Guggenheim Baseball Management for $2 billion, the Dodgers are now valued at $3.57 billion. In 2020, the Dodgers won their first World Series since 1998.
Boston Red Sox (#20 overall)
John Henry and Tom Werner got into the business of baseball in 2002, when they bought the Red Sox for $380 million. The organization has won four championships since, and is currently valued at $3.47 billion.
Chicago Cubs (#22 overall)
The Cubs are valued at $3.36 billion in 2021 after the team was purchased in 2009 for $700 million by the Ricketts family. The Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 in 2016, breaking “The Curse of the Billy Goat.”
San Francisco Giants (#28 overall)
The Giants were purchased by Charles Johnson in 1993 for $100 million, and are now valued at $3.18 billion. San Francisco has won three World Series since Johnson purchased the team.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.