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Eagles and Phillies are Two of the World’s Most Valuable Sports Franchises
By Jim Adair
Published:
Forbes put out a new ranking of sports franchises today – is that all they do? – and listed the fifty most valuable sports franchises in the entire world. Using “enterprise values (equity plus debt) based on current venue deals (unless a new venue is pending),” Forbes figured that Real Madrid remains the most valuable team in the world (despite dropping in value over the last year), and two local franchises made the cut.
19. Philadelphia Eagles
Value: $1.75 billion1-year change: 33%
Owner: Jeffrey Lurie
The Eagles are financially one of the NFL’s strongest clubs with the seventh highest revenue in the sport, but they are looking up at their NFC East brethren: Cowboys, Redskins and Giants, who all rank among the NFL’s top 4 revenue teams.
The NFC East is insanely valuable. In fact, every team in the NFC East is more valuable than any NHL team (only one made the top-50 cut). But the Eagles are still just average when it comes to the top-50 – $1.75 billion is the average value among the top clubs. And below that average, but still top 50, are the Phillies:
42. Philadelphia Phillies
Value: $1.25 billion1-year change: 28%
Owner: Partnership led by Pat Gillick
The Phillies have turned into losers on the diamond, but will be winners on the balance sheet thanks to a 25-year television agreement with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia that starts with the 2016 season and is worth more than $5 billion. The team will own 25% of the RSN.
Turned to losers on the diamond? Fair Forbes, but not cool.
When he's not writing about sports here or ranting about them on Twitter, Jim is probably watching X-Files on Netflix or drinking a beer somewhere. Jim has nothing against hockey, it's just not his style. He once met Duce Staley at a Sixers game.