'Forbes' Ranks the World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Franchises

Now more than ever, it’s a good time to be a sports franchise owner. With the sports entertainment industry entering a renaissance of sorts, Forbes has compiled the latest data into a list of the 50 most lucrative sports franchises. On average, the top 50 teams are worth about $1.75 billion USD each, which is a staggering 31% increase from 2014 thanks to new deals between content networks and leagues. Of the key takeaways here, the list features familiar faces: win-prone Real Madrid reigns supreme with a $3.26 billion valuation; New York’s flagship baseball and basketball teams (the Yankees and the Knicks) have still retained places on the list despite questionable standings, and the NFL is still top dog in terms of TV viewership. Peruse a list of the top 25 below and head over to Forbes for its expert breakdown of the numbers.

1. Real Madrid
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. New York Yankees
4. FC Barcelona
5. Manchester United
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. New England Patriots
8. New York Knicks
9. Los Angeles Dodgers
10. Washington Redskins
11. FC Bayern Munich
12. Boston Red Sox
13. New York Giants
14. Chicago Bulls
15. San Francisco Giants
16. Houston Texans
17. Chicago Cubs
18. New York Jets
19. Philadelphia Eagles
20. Boston Celtics
21. Chicago Bears
22. Los Angeles Clippers
23. San Francisco 49ers
24. Baltimore Ravens
25. Brooklyn Nets