3 NBA teams collectively worth $23 billion on list of 10 most valuable American sports teams
Three NBA teams have been ranked in the top 10 on a list of most valuable US-based sports teams according to Sportico. In the world of US sports, no franchise is valued higher than the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, worth a reported $10.32 billion. Sitting just behind the Cowboys on the list of most valuable sports teams is the Golden State Warriors, with the New York Knicks ranked sixth and the LA Lakers ranked seventh.
No other NBA team ranks in the top 25, with the next closest franchise being the Boston Celtics, who are 33rd. Interestingly enough, of the 25 most valuable sports teams in the US, 19 are NFL teams, with the Warriors, Knicks and the Lakers being the only NBA teams.
According to Sportico, the Golden State Warriors are valued at $8.28 billion, the Knicks at $7.43 billion and the Lakers at $7.34 billion, adding up to $23 billion collectively.
Meanwhile, three MLB teams, the New York Yankees, the LA Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox are all ranked in the top 25.
Check out the full list below:
Looking at where other NBA teams rank on the list of most valuable US-based sports teams
Apart from the Golden State Warriors, LA Lakers and the New York Knicks, several other NBA teams cracked the top 50. After the Lakers at No. 7, the Boston Celtics are the next highest-valued NBA team at 33, valued at $5.12 billion.
Sitting just a few spots below the Celtics are the Chicago Bulls, who ranked 38th with a valuation of $4.83 billion. Every other NBA team is ranked between 42 and 72, with the Clippers receiving a $4.56 billion valuation in the 42nd spot and the New Orleans Pelicans the least-valuable NBA team at $2.72 billion.
While NFL teams were generally ranked as the most valuable teams, and basketball teams appear to be primarily in the middle of the pack, the bottom half of the list seems to be made up of exclusively NHL, MLB and MLS teams.
Of the final 53 spots on the list, only three MLB teams feature, with the rest of the list being made up of NHL and MLS teams. In the case of the NHL, the league renegotiated its media rights deal in 2021, signing a seven-year deal with ESPN. On the flip side, the MLS signed a 10-year media rights deal with Apple for the 2023 season.
By the time both leagues negotiate new deals, it will be interesting to see if their average franchise valuation improves.