NFL team values are soaring, and it doesn’t necessarily correlate to on-field success
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season. They haven’t even advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs since then.
But they are the most valuable franchise in the NFL. Yet again.
The Rams followed their Super Bowl victory in early 2022 with a disappointing 5-12 record last season.
But their value increased substantially, from $5.91 billion at this time last year to $6.94 billion right now, a 17% increase.
The lesson? It’s a great time to be an NFL owner — and not just Jerry Jones or Stan Kroenke.
Coming off a 5-12 season instead of a Super Bowl title, Rams coach Sean McVay has to change his mindset with a roster of untested players and many stars gone.
According to Sportico’s NFL team valuations for 2023, the league’s franchises are currently worth an average of $5.14 billion, which is up 24% from last year.
The Cowboys are valued at $9.2 billion — that’s over $2 billion more than the next-highest ranking team, the New York Giants ($7.04 billion), and represents a 20% increase over the Cowboys’ league-leading valuation of $7.64 billion from 2022.
The Rams are third on the list, followed by the New England Patriots ($6.7 billion), San Francisco 49ers ($6.15 billion), Washington Commanders (who sold for $6.05 billion earlier this summer), Chicago Bears ($6 billion), Philadelphia Eagles ($5.95 billion) and Las Vegas Raiders ($5.77 billion). The Chargers are No. 18 at a value of $4.63 billion, up 28% from last year.
Lakers great Magic Johnson explains why he decided to join Josh Harris’ effort to buy the Washington Commanders and talks about the Lakers’ offseason signings.
Two of the lowest ranked teams, the Detroit Lions (No. 30) and Cincinnati Bengals (No. 32), saw the biggest percentage increases in value — the Lions were up 43% to $4.1 billion and the Bengals 41% to $4 billion. The Raiders also saw a 41% increase in value.
One of the factors going into the total team worth is the value of team-related business and real estate held by the owners. The Rams ranked at the top of the league in this category ($890 million), followed by the Patriots ($770 million) and Cowboys ($530 million).
SoFi Stadium, the NFL’s crown jewel, was the the culmination of Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s vision and the NFL’s desire to return to the L.A. market.
Sportico also ranks the Cowboys, Giants and Rams among the five most valuable sports franchises in North America, with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors ranking No. 2 at $7.56 billion and MLB’s New York Yankees No. 3 at $7.13 billion. The Lakers are No. 8 at $6.44 billion and the Dodgers are No. 16 at $5.24 billion.
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