Forbes: NFL average team value soars to nearly $3.5B
In this Nov. 4, 2018 file photo, the NFL logo is displayed on the field at the Bank of American Stadium before an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C. [AP/ Nell Redmond]
Even with a pandemic forcing empty stadiums in most franchise cities, NFL team values increased by 14% in the past year to an average of $3.48 billion, according to Forbes.
How? New media rights deals that brought in $111.8 billion and led to the largest value increase in five years.
So even with a 20% fall in revenue and with average operating income dropping from $109 million in 2019 to $7.1 million during the COVID-19 pandemic season, the 32 clubs are profiting.
Once again, the Dallas Cowboys have the highest value at $6.5 billion. New England is next at $5 billion, followed by the New York Giants at $4.85 billion, the Los Angeles Rams at $4.8 billion and Washington at $4.2 billion. Dallas has been on top of the evaluations for 15 straight years.
The largest one-year increase in value was for Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay, up 29%. Forbes cites Tom Brady’s arrival leading to increased season-ticket and merchandise sales.
Buffalo has the lowest value, according to Forbes, at $2.27 billion, just below Cincinnati at $2.275 billion.