The Top 5 Most Valuable Sports Franchises in 2024

Everyone has their favorite teams to support regardless of the sport they like to watch. Some favorites are just that much more popular than others, and the relentless support of any given franchise usually results in it being one of the most successful.

For this article, we’ll outline the top 5 most valuable sports franchises globally (from data up to 2023), including who owns the team, how much revenue it generates, how many championships they’ve won, and how they’ve maintained value over several decades.

All 5 of the most valuable teams are from the US, and in fact it’s not until you get to number 15 in the list that an international team appears – that’s Premier League team Manchester United with a value of over $5billion.

Let’s not wait any longer, here is the top five list:

5. Los Angeles Rams (NFL) – $6.9 billion

You may have never even thought the LA Rams would be fifth in the most valuable sports franchises in the world, but they are. A large part of the Rams’ financial success is due to their new SoFi Stadium economics, which only occurred after their switch from St. Louis to LA in 2016. SoFi is highly regarded as one of the top sports stadiums in the world, as it’s both indoor and outdoor-based, with both the Rams and Charges taking it as their home stadium. In total, the Rams receive about 85% of the stadium’s revenue from luxury suites and sponsorships. The Rams’ owner, Stan Kroenke, can be particularly credited with his sports-centric stadium vision and billions of investment money.

3=. New England Patriots (NFL) – $7 billion

Due to their unhinged success on the field, the New England Patriots are tied at number three for most valuable global sports franchises. With approximately $7 billion in value, the New England Patriots have built up a legacy of success through countless championships, which is part of the reason why the franchise is so valuable. A lot of the team’s financial success can be credited to their corporate sponsors of Bank of America, Gillette, PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Fidelity Investments, and the owner, Robert Kraft, has been described as one of the most committed owners in any football franchise.

3=. Golden State Warriors (NBA) – $7 billion

Tied with the New England Patriots at the number-three spot for most valuable sports franchises globally is the NBA’s Golden State Warriors at around $7 billion. Much like the Patriots, the Warriors’ financial success is easily backed by their dominant success on the court. Another contributing factor is the use of San Francisco’s Chase Center, which was created from their disposable income and now serves as a multi-use arena. In addition to this, the Warriors are known to have premium ticket prices and use thoughtful business strategies, led by none other than creative franchise owner Joseph S. Lacob along with Peter Guber.

2. New York Yankees (MLB) – $7.10 billion

Coming in as the second-most valuable sports franchise in history is none other than the New York Yankees. The Yankees have been an ancient franchise in professional baseball for some time now, and they are widely considered the best baseball franchise of all time. First off, fans are more than willing to pay a premium price to watch some high-quality baseball in one of the best baseball stadiums in America. Secondly, the amount the Yankees make in ticket sales is absurd, and to put it into perspective, the Yankees made $279 million in ticket sales in 2023 while failing to make the playoffs, along with $143 million in cable money.

1. Dallas Cowboys (NFL) – $9.2 billion

Finally, the most valuable sports franchise globally is none other than the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. Valued at a whopping $9.2 billion, the Dallas Cowboys are worth more than the next highest team by around $2 billion! Regardless of your perception of the franchise, the Cowboys are hands down at the forefront of all NFL national media. Franchise owner Jerry Jones can be largely credited with the financial success of the team, using business tactics such as acquiring new sponsorship deals with brands like AT&T and Molson Coors. AT&T Stadium is easily considered one of the best football stadiums in America and serves as a hotspot for football culture.