Forbes published their list of the 50 most valuable sports franchises in the world yesterday, with the Yankees coming in fourth at $2.5 billion. They trail only European soccer clubs Real Madrid ($3.44 billion), Barcelona ($3.2 billion), and Manchester United ($2.81 billion). The Dallas Cowboys are fifth at $2.3 billion and the Dodgers are sixth at $2 billion.
“The Yankees are the most valuable non-soccer team in the world with a worth of $2.5 billion,” writes Kurt Badenhausen. “TV is driving the value of the Bronx Bombers. Fox exercised its option to increase its ownership of the Yankees’ regional sports network, YES, to 80% earlier this year (Yankees Global Enterprises, which is majority owned by the Steinbrenner family retains 20%). As part of the deal, the programming rights fee for the Yankees starts at $105 million (including the amortized value of a $400 million upfront payment) and will hit $350 million a year by 2042.”
The Yankees were ranked as the most valuable franchise in baseball by Forbes for the 17th consecutive year back in March. Forbes estimated the team’s value at $2.3 billion in 2013, $1.85 billion in 2012, $1.7 billion in 2011, and $1.6 billion in 2010, so it’s going nowhere but up despite the mediocrity on the field for the last season and a half. I can’t imagine what the asking price would be if the Steinbrenners ever decided to sell the Yankees. Maybe $4 billion?
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