Forbes.com came out with their valuation of the 30 NBA Franchises article. Leading the pack is the LA Lakers, who are valued at $2.6 billion and earn $293 million in revenue a season. Second on the list is the New York Knicks valued at $2.5 billion while earning $278 million a season. Other notable teams:
#3 Chicago Bulls: Valued at $2 billion with $201 million in yearly revenue.
The Bulls led the NBA in attendance during the 2013-14 season for the fifth straight year, averaging 21,716 fans per game at the United Center. Bulls’ owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who also owns MLB’s Chicago White Sox, owns half of the arena.
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#8 Houston Rockets: Valued at $1.25 billion with $175 million in yearly revenue.
In October, a federal bankruptcy judge approved the reorganization of CSN Houston, the failed network jointly owned by Comcast, the Rockets and MLB’s Houston Astros that was unable to gain widespread coverage. The Rockets and Astros emerged with a new local television home, Root Sports Southwest, launched in November and owned by DirecTV Sports Networks and AT&T Teleholdings.
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#15 Cleveland Cavaliers: Valued at $915 million with $149 million in yearly revenue.
LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers as a free agent this summer with a two-year, $42.1 million contract. He signed the shorter deal to become a free agent again in 2016 when the NBA’s new $24 billion TV contracts kick in and send the salary soaring. The Cavs ranked 16th in the NBA in attendance last season, but sold out their season tickets within hours of James’ announcing his decision in July.
#30 Milwaukee Bucks: Valued at $600 million with $110 in yearly revenue.
The NBA approved the sale of the Bucks from Herb Kohl to New York investment firm executives Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry for $550 million in May 2014. Edens and Lasry assumed debt of $125 million from the league credit facility and wrote a check for $425 million ($50 million of which was borrowed) to buy team. The Bucks have the fewest season ticket holders in the NBA with 4,000.
[Forbes]
