The Dallas Cowboys replace Real Madrid as the most valuable sports franchise in the world
Forbes has released their 6th annual list of the 50 most valuable sports franchises in the world, headlined by the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, who have taken the top spot from La Liga's Real Madrid, claiming a total value of $4 billion.
This points to the tremendous success the NFL has enjoyed over the years, as 27 of the 30 NFL franchises appear on this year's list. The team's owner, Jerry Jones, is the prototype for a shrewd owner who's best attribute is understanding the best ways to make money for his team and implementing those marketing strategies.
The former #1 most valuable franchise, Real Madrid, was relegated to the No. 2 spot, with a total value of $3.65 billion, in part thanks to the help on their massive new kit deal with adidas, which is worth $1.6 billion over 10 years. Meanwhile, their arch rival, FC Barcelona, comes in third at a total value of $3.55 billion with a monster kit deal with Nike of their own which will see them make $175 million per year.
Rounding out the top 5 are the New York Yankees, valued at $3.4 billion, and the English Premier League's Manchester United, valued at $3.32 billion.