For better or for worse, in most cases worse, elite sport is just as much about the pursuit of profits as it about achieving glory. Absurd amounts of profit, with endless reserves of cash pouring into the leagues and clubs of the world’s most famous sporting leagues on a daily basis. With the kind of financial backing they have either from billionaire owners, TV revenue or wealthy sponsors, it’s these teams who are able to build global brands unrivaled by almost any other company.
These teams have created the kind of cultural and social influence that translates into insane amounts of self-perpetuating income. Every year the numbers get more and more staggering, but certain sporting superpowers boast earning potential and an inherent value that eclipses some of the world’s most famous companies. The biggest clubs in the NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League and La Liga still dominate the sporting landscape.
Here are the top 20 most valuable sports teams in the world.
| Rank | Team | Value |
| 1. | Dallas Cowboys | $5.7 billion |
| 2. | New York Yankees | $5.25 billion |
| 3. | New York Knicks | $5 billion |
| 4. | Barcelona | $4.76 billion |
| 5. | Real Madrid | $4.75 billion |
| 6. | Golden State Warriors | $4.7 billion |
| 7. | Los Angeles Lakers | $4.6 billion |
| 8. | New England Patriots | $4.4 billion |
| 9. | New York Giants | $4.3 billion |
| 10. | Bayern Munich | $4.21 billion |
| 11. | Manchester United | $4.2 billion |
| 12. | Liverpool | $4.1 billion |
| 13. | Los Angeles Rams | $4 billion |
| 14. | Manchester City | $4 billion |
| 15. | San Francisco 49ers | $3.8 billion |
| 16. | Los Angeles Dodgers | $3.57 billion |
| 17. | New York Jets | $3.55 billion |
| 18. | Chicago Bears | $3.53 billion |
| 19. | Washington Football Team | $3.5 billion |
| 20. | Boston Red Sox | $3.47 billion |
