Lions Ranked 28th-Most Valuable NFL Franchise

Lions rank near bottom of league in Sportico franchise valuations.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions fans celebrate the win against the Minnesota Vikings after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. With the win, the Lions clinched the NFC North. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions, coming off an NFC North division title and NFC Championship Game appearance, are one of the NFL's most popular franchises. 

Yet, they are still one of the league's least valuable teams headed into the 2024 season. 

According to Sportico and its NFL franchise valuations, the Lions are presently the 28th-most valuable organization at $4.93 billion. Despite the low ranking, that's still a 20 percent increase from last year's valuation, which had Detroit ranked No. 30 in the league at $4.1 billion. 

Sportico's valuation is derived from “the sum of the enterprise value of an NFL franchise combined with the value of team-related businesses and real estate holdings.” 

The Dallas Cowboys – affectionately known as “America’s Team” – top Sportico’s NFL franchise valuations rankings, with a valuation of $10.32 billion. With that valuation, the longtime Jerry Jones-owned team has become the first franchise in sports history to exceed the $10 billion threshold.

Rounding out the top-five most valuable NFL franchises, per Sportico, are the Los Angeles Rams ($7.79 billion), the New York Giants ($7.65 billion), the New England Patriots ($7.31 billion) and the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers ($6.86 billion).

Among NFC North squads, the Chicago Bears possess the highest valuation (No. 11; $6.26 billion), followed by the Green Bay Packers (No. 19; $5.39 billion), the Minnesota Vikings (No. 20; $5.32 billion) and then the Lions.

Per Sportico, the league's 32 franchises are worth a combined $190 billion, taking into account team-related businesses and real estate held by the owners.