Spanish soccer club Real Madrid has retained top spot on a list of the world’s 50 most valuable sports teams, according to a new Forbes poll that is made up mostly of National Football League franchises.
The value of the 10-times European champions fell five per cent from last year to $US3.26 billion ($4.42 billion) due to a drop in the euro versus the US dollar, but revenue of $US746 million ($1.01 billion), the highest of any team, kept them at the top, Forbes said in a statement.
The NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, up three spots from last year, and Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees, up from fourth place in 2014, were tied for second with a value of $US3.20 billion ($4.34 billion).
Global soccer powers Barcelona and Manchester United rounded out the top five.
The NFL led all sports with 20 franchises in the top-50, followed by MLB (12), the National Basketball Association (10) and soccer (7).
Formula One’s Ferrari was ranked 32nd while the Toronto Maple Leafs, tied in 37th, was the only National Hockey League team on the list.
According to Forbes, which began valuing sports franchises in 1998, the world’s 50 most valuable teams are worth an average $US1.75 billion (2.37 billion), up 31 per cent from 2014.
Forbes also said the minimum valuation to make the cut rose to $US1.15 billion ($1.56 billion), up from $US856 million ($1.12 billion) a year ago, due largely to the soaring worth of NBA and MLB teams.
Source: Reuters