Basketball, soccer, American football and baseball are some of the sports that deliver incredible revenues, thanks to how they are followed in all parts of the world. To put things into perspective, over 3 billion people watched the FIFA World Cup last year, and continue to do so every 4 years. Nike actively uses NBA stars such as Kevin Durant and Lebron James to pitch their products in every corner of the world.
However, there are some pro-level sports teams that clearly stand out from the rest when it comes to their earnings. Let’s take you through some of the wealthiest teams, regardless of the sport they are involved in and where they are based out of.
Dallas Cowboys – NFL – $ 4.8 billion
Despite the fact that the team hasn’t bagged a single NFL championship in over 20 years, Dallas Cowboys continue to be the wealthiest sports team in the world, mostly owing to their $ 1.2 billion worth home stadium which was constructed in 2009.
Dallas Cowboys sold the stadium’s naming rights to AT&T in 2013 for an estimated sum between $ 400 million to $ 600 million. The team clearly ranks at the top amongst the 50 most valuable sports teams in the world as well.
Manchester United – Premier League – $ 4.2 billion
With revenues of close to $ 700 million in the 2018-19 season, Manchester United is a world-famous football franchise that has become a household name over the years. It has finally gone ahead of Real Madrid in terms of its worth, and its gross income increased massively after it entered into a 10 year long kit deal with Adidas, amounting to $ 1.1 billion, at the start of 2015-16 season.
Real Madrid – La Liga – $ 4.09 billion
Although they were overtaken by Manchester United in 2018 (in terms of valuation), the Real Madrid soccer team which won the UEFA Champions League in 2015-16 and was once led by the highest-paid footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo (before his move to Juventus), continues to be among the top 3 wealthiest professional sports teams in the world.
Barcelona – La Liga – $ 4.06 billion
Their market value in the vicinity of $ 3.6 billion and annual revenue of around $ 700 million makes FC Barcelona one of the richest sports teams in the world and the 3rd most valuable soccer team. Led by players like Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona got into a kit deal with Nike amounting to around $ 175 million per annum.
New York Yankees – MLB – $ 4 billion
The only team from the Major League Baseball (MLB) to find its way into the top wealthiest sports teams in the world, the New York Yankees last estimated value stood at an impressive $ 4 billion. They won their last championship in the year 2009, however have 27 World Series titles under their belt, which is more than any other team in the MLB.
