Forbes NBA Team Values Released

Forbes has released its 2018 NBA Team Values, and NBA franchises have never been more valuable. For the first time ever, every NBA team is worth over $1 Billion.

The most valuable franchise is the New York Knicks at $3.6 billion. It is their third straight year at the top of the list. The Knicks are now the 6th most valuable sports team in the world. They are behind football clubs Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United, baseball’s New York Yankees and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

They are followed by the Los Angeles Lakers ($3.3 billion), Golden State Warriors ($3.1 billion), Chicago Bulls ($2.6 billion) and Boston Celtics ($2.5 billion). the lowest valued team is the New Orleans Pelicans at $1bn.

These most recent figures demonstrate the rapid financial growth of the NBA over the last few years. The average franchise is now worth $1.65 billion, which is three times the average value 5 years ago. It is also a 22% increase on 12 months ago.

Overseas

Since Adam Silver became commissioner in 2014, the collective worth of NBA franchises increased from $19 billion to $50 million.

As with other major sports leagues like the Premier League, lucrative television deals have contributed to the amount of money in the game. The NBA has earned $24bn from a new 9-year TV deal in the US. The new deal is three times more valuable than the previous one.

Another factor in the NBA’s financial growth has been its expansion into overseas markets. Particularly China, where an estimated 300 million people play basketball.

NBA teams played 5 fixtures abroad in 2017, and in 2018 the Philadelphia 76ers played the Boston Celtics in London. Forbes Estimates that the Philadelphia 76ers are worth 48% more than they were a year ago.