Dallas Cowboys Named World's Most Valuable Sports Franchise at $5.7B

The Dallas Cowboys still sit atop the list of the world's most valuable sports franchises, according to Forbes' latest annual list.

DALLAS - The annual list of the world's most valuable sports franchises by Forbes was released and the Dallas Cowboys continue to hold the top spot. 

Valued at $5.7 billion, the Cowboys rank ahead of all other sports franchises in the world. Next up on the list include the New York Yankees ($5.25 billion), New York Knicks ($5 billion), Barcelona Soccer ($4.76 billion), Real Madrid Soccer ($4.75 billion). 

According to Forbes writer Mike Ozanian, there are a variety of factors that contribute to the Cowboys' taking the top spot. The business savvy goes well beyond just having an iconic franchise. 

"Take Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (net worth: $8.8 billion),'' Forbes write. "He bought the franchise in 1989 for $150 million and has since added a number of big-ticket amenities, including a modern stadium stacked with luxury boxes, a new corporate headquarters and practice facility called The Star, a merchandising business and licensing arrangement with the NFL, and an equity stake in the stadium management company Legends, as well as investments in esports and a platform built to support youth sports. The team delivered operating profits of $425 million on revenue of $980 million in the 2019 season, record results for the franchise." 

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The NFL accounted for 25 of the 50 entries on this list. Meanwhile, the NBA (9) and MLB (6) combined for 15 spots. 

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cowboys have increased by an estimated $200 million compared to their value on the 2020 edition of this list. From 2019-20, Dallas experienced an increased of roughly $500 million in value, so a more robust increase may occur with full stadium occupancies being expected. 

Jerry Jones initially purchased the Cowboys in 1989 for a price of $150 million. Since then, his investment has increased in value 38 times over. For Cowboys Nation, of course, as much as that makes Dallas a "champion'' of sorts ... the real payoff would be turning that $5.7 billion value into on-field title contention.

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