RSS
The Seahawks increased in value four percent from a year ago to $1.081 billion, according to Forbes annual estimate of NFL team values. That ranks 15th among the 32 teams, and slightly below the $1.17 billion average for franchises in the world’s most valuable sports league. The magazine estimated Seahawks’ profits at $28.2 million for the previous year.
So yes, the Seahawks can afford the transparent plastic bags for the goodies you want to bring through the stadium gates for Saturday’s 7 p.m. exhibition game against the Denver Broncos. Thanks for asking.
The Seahawks have sold out the house last season and this season at CenturyLink Field and are among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl. They even sold out the practice-field berm’s 2,500 spaces for all of the team’s public sessions during the now-concluded training camp at Virginia Mason Ahletic Center in Renton.
The team was purchased by Paul Allen in 1997 for $200 million. Allen’s other pro sports team, the Portland Trail Blazers, was valued in January at $457 million, which also ranked 15th in the 30-team NBA. Forbes doesn’t rank MLS teams, but the Sounders, in which Allen is a minority owner, is likely the most valuable Major League Soccer franchise with attendance double the next-highest team.
For the seventh year in a row, the Dallas Cowboys lead the NFL valuations at $2.3 billion, thanks largely to revenues from their ultra-chic stadium, which now has a new naming rights sponsor, AT&T, paying $500 million over 25 years.
The only team that had a net loss in annual operations was the Detroit Lions (-$3.5 million), which has lost money four years in a row in a city that has declared bankruptcy.
Chart from Forbes via Sports Business Daily:
| RANK | TEAM |
CURRENT VALUE
|
1-YEAR
% +/- |
DEBT
VALUE |
REVENUE
|
OPERATING INCOME
|
| 1) | Cowboys |
$2.3B
|
10%
|
12%
|
$539M
|
$250.7M
|
| 2) | Patriots |
$1.8B
|
10%
|
14%
|
$408M
|
$139.2M
|
| 3) | Redskins |
$1.7B
|
6%
|
26%
|
$381M
|
$104.3M
|
| 4) | Giants |
$1.55B
|
6%
|
42%
|
$338M
|
$64.4M
|
| 5) | Texans |
$1.45B
|
11%
|
13%
|
$320M
|
$81.5M
|
| 6) | Jets |
$1.38B
|
7%
|
54%
|
$321M
|
$52.8M
|
| 7) | Eagles |
$1.314B
|
4%
|
15%
|
$306M
|
$47.8M
|
| 8) | Bears |
$1.252B
|
5%
|
9%
|
$298M
|
$63.2M
|
| 9) | Ravens |
$1.227B
|
6%
|
22%
|
$292M
|
$48.3M
|
| 10) | 49ers |
$1.224B
|
4%
|
11%
|
$255M
|
$10.2M
|
| 11) | Colts |
$1.2B
|
4%
|
4%
|
$276M
|
$65M
|
| 12) | Packers |
$1.183B
|
2%
|
2%
|
$282M
|
$54.3M
|
| 13) | Broncos |
$1.161B
|
3%
|
12%
|
$283M
|
$31.7M
|
| 14) | Steelers |
$1.118B
|
2%
|
18%
|
$266M
|
$28.3M
|
| 15) | Seahawks |
$1.081B
|
4%
|
11%
|
$270M
|
$28.2M
|
| 16) | Dolphins |
$1.074B
|
1%
|
36%
|
$268M
|
$24.8M
|
| 17) | Buccaneers |
$1.067B
|
3%
|
17%
|
$267M
|
$2.2M
|
| 18) | Panthers |
$1.057B
|
1%
|
6%
|
$271M
|
$28.9M
|
| 19) | Titans |
$1.055B
|
4%
|
12%
|
$270M
|
$40M
|
| 20) | Chiefs |
$1.009B
|
–
|
7%
|
$245M
|
$15M
|
| 21) | Vikings |
$1.007B
|
3%
|
33%
|
$234M
|
$28M
|
| 22) | Browns |
$1.005B
|
2%
|
20%
|
$264M
|
$17.1M
|
| 23) | Saints |
$1.004B
|
3%
|
7%
|
$276M
|
$22.2M
|
| 24) | Cardinals |
$961M
|
4%
|
16%
|
$253M
|
$9.7M
|
| 25) | Chargers |
$949M
|
1%
|
11%
|
$250M
|
$30.4M
|
| 26) | Falcons |
$933M
|
11%
|
29%
|
$252M
|
$18.5M
|
| 27) | Bengals |
$924M
|
6%
|
11%
|
$250M
|
$37.3M
|
| 28) | Lions |
$900M
|
5%
|
31%
|
$248M
|
-$3.5M
|
| 29) | Rams |
$875M
|
12%
|
13%
|
$239M
|
$21.1M
|
| 30) | Bills |
$870M
|
8%
|
14%
|
$256M
|
$12.6M
|
| 31) | Jaguars |
$840M
|
9%
|
24%
|
$260M
|
$15.5M
|
| 32) | Raiders |
$825M
|
5%
|
24%
|
$229M
|
$19.1M
|
Follow Art Thiel on Twitter at
@Art_Thiel
YourThoughts