Sports play an important role in our lives. From the early childhood years where we take sports very seriously to the later years in life where we consider it as a hobby, a fitness ritual, and sometimes even a profession. But for sports executives, the most profitable sports leagues are primarily a profitable business. Sports teams are usually owned by billionaires who invest huge amounts of money into new players, new stadiums and arenas, and brand management. A lot of sports fans tend to ignore the fact that, their beloved team is primarily a big business.
Sports ventures have proven to be a really profitable branch of the entertainment industry. They make incredible sums of money. Today, professional sports leagues have become one of the most lucrative entertainment industries in the world, earning billions of dollars from various sources. These sources include; sponsorships, ticket sales, events, transfers, stadium rentals, broadcasting deals, merchandise, gambling, and much more.
Here are the top 10 richest sports leagues in the world.
| Rank | League | Revenues |
| 1. | National Football League (NFL) | $16 billion |
| 2. | Major League Baseball (MLB) | $10 billion |
| 3. | National Basketball Association (NBA) | $8 billion |
| 4. | Indian Premier League (IPL) | $7 billion |
| 5. | English Premier League (EPL) | $5.3 billion |
| 6. | National Hockey League (NHL) | $4.8 billion |
| 7. | La Liga | $4.5 billion |
| 8. | Bundesliga | $4.3 billion |
| 9. | Serie A | $2.3 billion |
| 10. | UEFA Champions League (UCL) | $2 billion |
