Forbes again lists Dallas Cowboys as most valuable franchise
For the second year in a row, the Dallas Cowboys have been rated as the world’s most valuable sports franchise, worth $4.2 billion according to the annual valuations by Forbes.
It isn’t difficult to discover why.
Owner Jerry Jones has always been ahead of the game in securing major sponsorship deals for his team, sharing his brand with companies eager to be associated with “America’s Team.”
Owners of five NFL championships, though none since the 1995 season, the Cowboys continue to be the NFL’s biggest television draw. Despite coming off a 4-12 season in 2015, the Cowboys were penciled in for six national TV games last season. Because when it comes to ratings, the Cowboys move the needle.
Last season, Cowboys games had the top TV rating in seven of the first 14 weeks. By late November, the Cowboys had played in four of the five highest-rated games of the season.
Their divisional round loss to Green Bay in January was the most-watched Wild Card or Divisional Round game on any network ever. Imagine the metrics if the Cowboys ever made it back to a Super Bowl.
The team’s average home crowd of 92,539 last season at its $2 billion stadium was nearly 14,000 more per game than the next highest club.
In 2016’s bounce back season highlighted by a pair of rookie offensive stars, four Cowboys players were among the top 10 in NFL jersey sales, according to Sports Business Daily.
Forbes’ valuation of the Cowboys has doubled since 2013 when the team was ranked fifth behind three international soccer teams and baseball’s New York Yankees.
The Cowboys lead a rush of NFL teams onto the list, with 29 of pro football's 32 franchises making an appearance. Maybe next year Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals.
The biggest gainer of any team on the Forbes list is the Los Angeles Rams, who check in at No. 12 after not being in the top 50 last year. Moving from St. Louis back to Los Angeles seems to have already paid off.
Forbes top 50 most valuable sports franchises for 2017
Rank | Team | League | Value (billions) |
1. | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $4.2 |
2. | New York Yankees | MLB | $3.7 |
3. | Manchester United | Soccer | $3.69 |
4. | Barcelona | Soccer | $3.64 |
5. | Real Madrid | Soccer | $3.58 |
6. | New England Patriots | NFL | $3.4 |
7. | New York Knicks | NBA | $3.3 |
8. | New York Giants | NFL | $3.1 |
9. | San Francisco 49ers | NFL | $3 |
9. | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $3 |
11. | Washington Redskins | NFL | $2.95 |
12. | Los Angeles Rams | NFL | $2.9 |
13. | New York Jets | NFL | $2.75 |
13. | Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB | $2.75 |
15. | Bayern Munich | Soccer | $2.71 |
16. | Chicago Bears | NFL | $2.7 |
16. | Boston Red Sox | MLB | $2.7 |
18. | Chicago Cubs | MLB | $2.68 |
19. | San Francisco Giants | MLB | $2.65 |
20. | Houston Texans | NFL | $2.6 |
20. | Golden State Warriors | NBA | $2.6 |
22. | Philadelphia Eagles | NFL | $2.5 |
22. | Chicago Bulls | NBA | $2.5 |
24. | Denver Broncos | NFL | $2.4 |
25. | Miami Dolphins | NFL | $2.38 |
26. | Green Bay Packers | NFL | $2.35 |
27. | Baltimore Ravens | NFL | $2.3 |
28. | Pittsburgh Steelers | NFL | $2.25 |
29. | Seattle Seahawks | NFL | $2.23 |
30. | Minnesota Vikings | NFL | $2.2 |
30. | Boston Celtics | NBA | $2.2 |
32. | Indianapolis Colts | NFL | $2.18 |
33. | Atlanta Falcons | NFL | $2.13 |
34. | Oakland Raiders | NFL | $2.1 |
35. | Manchester City | Soccer | $2.083 |
36. | Los Angeles Chargers | NFL | $2.08 |
37. | Carolina Panthers | NFL | $2.075 |
38. | Arizona Cardinals | NFL | $2.03 |
39. | Tennessee Titans | NFL | $2 |
39. | Los Angeles Clippers | NBA | $2 |
39. | New York Mets | MLB | $2 |
42. | Jacksonville Jaguars | NFL | $1.95 |
43. | Arsenal | Soccer | $1.93 |
44. | Kansas City Chiefs | NFL | $1.88 |
45. | Cleveland Browns | NFL | $1.85 |
46. | Chelsea | Soccer | $1.845 |
47. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFL | $1.8 |
47. | Brooklyn Nets | NBA | $1.8 |
47. | St. Louis Cardinals | MLB | $1.8 |
50. | New Orleans Saints | NFL | $1.75 |
50. | Los Angeles Angels | MLB | $1.75 |
Top 10 for 2016
1. | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $4B |
2. | Real Madrid | Soccer | $3.7B |
3. | Barcelona | Soccer | $3.6B |
4. | New York Yankees | MLB | $3.4B |
5. | Manchester United | Soccer | $3.3B |
6. | New England Patriots | NBA | $3.2B |
7. | New York Knicks | NBA | $3B |
8. | Washington Redskins | NFL | $2.9B |
9. | New York Giants | NFL | $2.8B |
10. | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $2.7B |
Top 10 for 2015
1. | Real Madrid | Soccer | $3.26B |
2. | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $3.2B |
2. | New York Yankees | MLB | $3.2B |
4. | Barcelona | Soccer | $3.16B |
5. | Manchester United | Soccer | $3.1B |
6. | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $2.6B |
6. | New England Patriots | NBA | $2.6B |
8. | New York Knicks | NBA | $2.5B |
9. | Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB | $2.4B |
9. | Washington Redskins | NFL | $2.4B |
Top 10 for 2014
1. | Real Madrid | Soccer | $3.44B |
2. | Barcelona | Soccer | $3.2B |
3. | Manchester United | Soccer | $2.81B |
4. | New York Yankees | MLB | $2.5B |
5. | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $2.3B |
6. | Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB | $2B |
7. | Bayern Munich | Soccer | $1.85B |
8. | New England Patriots | NFL | $1.8B |
9. | Washington Redskins | NFL | $1.7B |
10. | New York Giants | NFL | $1.55B |
Top 10 for 2013
1. | Real Madrid | Soccer | $3.3B |
2. | Manchester United | Soccer | $3.17B |
3. | Barcelona | Soccer | $2.6B |
4. | New York Yankees | MLB | $2.3B |
5. | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $2.1B |
6. | New England Patriots | NFL | $1.64B |
7. | Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB | $1.62B |
8. | Washington Redskins | NFL | $1.6B |
9. | New York Giants | NFL | $1.47B |
10. | Arsenal | Soccer | $1.33B |
This story was originally published July 12, 2017 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Forbes again lists Dallas Cowboys as most valuable franchise."