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Watching your favorite team play might be a hobby for you, but for people involved in this business, there is a lot of money to be made. Every year Forbes releases a list of the most valuable teams in the world. This is a multi-billionaire business and the value of a sports franchise depends on several factors: the team's results, sponsorships, and annual revenue being a few of them.
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Each team on this list is worth billions of dollars and all they are mostly from the U.S. and Europe. Curious? Keep scrolling and discover the most valuable teams in the world, according to Forbes.
New York Giants - $3.3 Billion
The New York Giants are worth an impressive $3.3 billion, the same amount as last year. The team won four NFL Championships and four Super Bowls. It was created in 1925, and the Mara family bought the franchise for $500, an investment that would make them billionaires. According to Forbes, the team now belongs to John Mara and Steve Tisch.
Mara intends to do some changes with the team. "You don't like to see all of that talent go out the door," Mara said to Tom Rock of Newsday. "But let's face it, we've had one winning season, 2016, here and the other five or six years have not been so good since we won that last Super Bowl. So, we needed some drastic changes."
Golden State Warriors - $3.5 Billion
The Golden State Warriors are worth $3.5 billion and that total increased $400 million compared to last year. The basketball team belongs to multimillionaires Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and has a $401 Million annual revenue. The Warriors have an impressive income of $2 billion that comes from season tickets, suites, and sponsorship contracts, according to Forbes.
The team has won six championships so far and is the third most valuable NBA franchise. The team has prominent stars like Draymond Green and Stephen Curry.
Los Angeles Lakers - $3.7 Billion
According to Forbes, the average value of an NBA team is $1.9 billion. The amount represents a 13 percent increase if compared with the previous year. However, some teams can reach much higher amounts. The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, are worth $3.7 billion and are one of the most influential teams in the world.
However, the team might fall a bit down the 2020 list. Earlier this year, Magic Johnson left his position as president of basketball operations and created a public drama with the owners. It has slightly tarnished the image of the team.
New England Patriots - 3.8 Billion
The billionaire Robert Kraft paid $172 million for the New England Patriots. It was one of the best investments Kraft ever made and today the team is worth $3.8 billion and is the 6th most valuable pro franchise in the world.
"My objective in buying the Patriots is to help bring a championship to New England," Kraft told CNN.
A significant part of Patriot's success is thanks to Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick. Since 1994, the team has won the Super Bowl six times.
Manchester United - $3.8 Billion
Manchester United is still one of the most valuable teams on Earth and it is worth $3.8 billion. However, it is a significant decrease if compared to the $4.12 billion it was worth last year.
The British team is not doing the best at the moment. It ended in the 6th position at the Premier League and they might be out of the Champions League next year if they are found guilty of breaking financial rules. If they don't recover, there are chances the team falls down a few positions in this list next year.
New York Knicks - $4 Billion
The New York Knicks are the most valuable basketball team in the world and are worth $4 billion. The amount represents an 11 percent increase if compared with the previous year.
The team belongs to the billionaire James Dolan. During an interview to ESPN, the entrepreneur revealed that someone offered $5 billion for the team, but he didn't find the value appealing.
"You hear numbers all the time," Dolan told ESPN. " I think people have sent feelers out, but never any that were pursued. Yeah, [the feelers are] around that number [$5 billion], but those things, it's like a stock price. It's only important if you're going to buy or sell."
Barcelona - $4.02 Billion
Barcelona is worth $4.06 billion and is one of the most valuables teams in Europe. The Spanish giant invests millions on players like Lionel Messi, the highest-paid athlete in the world, and Luiz Suares. The team also had other A-list names, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
Unsurprisingly, it is one of the most popular teams in the world and they have countless supporters outside Spain. According to Forbes, it had annual revenue of 785.5 million. Barcelona often takes turns as the most valuable team in Europe with the next team on this list.
Real Madrid - $4.24 Billion
Real Madrid is the most valuable team in Europe and it is worth $4,240,000,000. Although it is an astronomical value, many people will be surprised that it is not in the first place. Real Madrid is one of the most popular teams in the world and invests millions buying some of the best players in the world.
According to Forbes, the team had an $854.8 million revenue during 2017 and 2018. The Real Madrid won the last two Champions League and its value increased 10 percent.
New York Yankees - $4.6 Billion
The New York Yankees are worth $4.6 billion, have an operating income of $30 million and had a local revenue of $712 million. The second position is the LA Dodgers that has a $517 annual revenue, almost $200 million less than the New York Yankees. Unsurprisingly, it is the most valuable baseball team in the world.
In 2018, they stayed under the tax for the first time in six years. The team won 100 games and is just behind the Red Sox and the Houston Astros.
Dallas Cowboys (NFL) - $5 Billion
According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys (NFL) are worth $5 Billion and are the most valuable team in the world. Dallas is in the first position since 2016 and also has the highest profit that comes from sponsorships and seating revenue at its AT&T Stadium. In 2017, they made $365 million.
Dallas Cowboys belongs to the billionaire and entrepreneur Jerry Jones, who owns the team since 1989. Jones has a net worth evaluated at more than $6 billion and he is very passionate about soccer. He also has a valuable art collection.