Forbes pegs Yankees as world's 2nd-most valuable sports franchise
The New York Yankees continue to be Major League Baseball's most valuable franchise and are trending toward becoming the most valuable team in all of sports.
The Yankees are now valued at $4.6 billion and are only worth less than the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, according to Forbes' annual list. This year's calculations represent a three-spot jump for the Yankees, who ranked fifth last year, and a 15 percent increase in overall value.
While the Steinbrenner family's property ranks first among MLB teams, six other baseball teams sit inside the top 50, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals.
| MLB Rank (Overall) | Team | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (2) | Yankees | $4.6B |
| 2 (10) | Dodgers | $3.3B |
| 3 (12) | Red Sox | $3.2B |
| 4 (14) | Cubs | $3.1B |
| 5 (18) | Giants | $3B |
| 6 (38) | Mets | $2.3B |
| 7 (47) | Cardinals | $2.1B |
All seven of the baseball teams that made the list have seen at least 5 percent growth over the past year, with the majority enjoying an increase of 10 percent or more.
The NFL leads all leagues in representation within the top 50. On top of the Cowboys ranking first, 25 of the 32 clubs made the list.
La Liga's Real Madrid and Barcelona and the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks round out the top five.