Sport

Dallas Cowboys edge ahead of Real Madrid as most valuable sports team

Forbes value NFL franchise at €3.65bn in annual review

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo reacts after throwing the winning touchdown pass against the New York Giants in the second half of their game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday. The NFL franchise has been named as the world’s most valuable sports team in Forbes’ annual survey at $4 billion (€3.65 billion). Photograph: Larry W Smith/EPA
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo reacts after throwing the winning touchdown pass against the New York Giants in the second half of their game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday. The NFL franchise has been named as the world’s most valuable sports team in Forbes’ annual survey at $4 billion (€3.65 billion). Photograph: Larry W Smith/EPA
Tom Lutz
Mon Sept 14 2015 - 18:02

They may not have won a Super Bowl in 20 years, but the Dallas Cowboys continue to beguile fans with the NFL team named as the world’s most valuable sports team in Forbes’ annual survey.

Forbes values the Cowboys at $4 billion (€3.65 billion), edging the team ahead of La Liga’s Real Madrid ($3.26 billion/€3 billion). Spanish and American teams make up the top five – the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and MLB’s New York Yankees are both valued at $3.2 billion (€2.92 billion), while Real Madrid’s fierce rivals Barcelona come in at $3.16 billion (€2.89 billion).

The highest-valued Premier League team is Manchester United valued at $3.1 billion (€2.835 billion) thanks to $703 million (€643 million) in annual revenue and a 10-year, $1.1 billion (€1 billion) sponsorship deal with Adidas.

Forbes attributes the Cowboys valuation to playing in a large market, shrewd marketing and the revenue from its multi-purpose stadium, where crowds for Cowboys games average 90,000.

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Off the field at least, the Cowboys have flourished under the ownership of Jerry Jones – he bought the team for $140 million in 1989. The average NFL team is now worth $2 billion (€1.83 billion) according to Forbes.

(Guardian service)