Forbes.com has released their annual list of Major League Baseball franchise valuations. The
But the Yankees are not alone in their sudden jump in value as the average increase was 23%.The biggest reason for the rise in values is the recent surge in television revenue.
In all, 19 teams saw their value jump at least 20%, led by the Oakland A's, who went from $321 million in 2012 to $468 million in 2013, a 46% increase. The Pittsburgh Pirates ($479M, +43%) and Tampa Bay Rays ($451M, +40%) were not far behind.
Other than the Yankees, three other teams are valued at at least $1.0 billion, including the Los Angeles Dodgers ($1.6B), Boston Red Sox ($1.3B), and Chicago Cubs ($1.0B).
The Rays are the least valuable franchise at $451 million. However, their value has more than doubled in just the last seven seasons.