Baseball United Announces Schedule for Historic First Season
Baseball United launches first pro league in the Middle East, uniting global stars and historic rivalries.
World’s Most Valuable Sports Franchises As Of 2025
In the high-stakes world of professional sports, franchises have evolved into sophisticated business empires, attracting global investment and generating revenue that rivals multinational corporations. With TV rights deals, global fan engagement, merchandise sales, and lucrative sponsorships, the value of a sports franchise now extends far beyond athletic performance. Forbes‘ latest valuation of the world’s most valuable sports franchises reflects this seismic shift—where branding, media presence, and market reach are as important as trophies. This article ranks the top ten franchises by value, offering insights into the ownership, venues, and strategic positioning behind their financial dominance. 10. San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers are San Francisco based American football team. They have been valued at $6.8 billion. The team is owned by the York family. The team competes in the National Football League (NFL) and plays its home games at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. In June 2023, the American group also became the owner of the English football club Leeds United. 9. New York Jets The next team on the list is New York Jets. Like San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets is also an American football team and features in the National Football League. The Forbes values the New York Jets at $6.9 billion. New York Jets is co-owned by American billionaire brothers Woody Johnson and Christopher Johnson. New York Jets play their home matches at the MetLife Stadium. The venue will be the site for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final and the 2025 FIFA World Cup final. 8. Los Angeles Lakers Basketball team Los Angeles Lakers are the eighth most valuable sports franchise in the world. The team has been valued at $7.1 billion and features in the National Basketball Association (NBA). With 17 NBA titles, Los Angles Lakers are the second-most successful team in the tournament’s history. American businesswoman Jeanie Buss has the controlling owner of the team. American billionaire Todd Boehly, who also is co-owns English football club Chelsea, is one of the minority stake holder of Los Angeles Lakers. 7. New York Giants New York Jets’ intra-city rivals New York Giants have been valued at $7.3 billion. New York Giants also play their home games at the MetLife Stadium. The team is jointly owned by billionaires Steve Tisch and John Mara. 6. New England Patriots The next team to feature on the list is New England Patriots. The Forbes’ values the team at $ 7.4 billion. The American football team is based in Greater Boston area and plays its games at Gillette Stadium. The New England Patriots is owned by American billionaire Robert Kraft. 5. New York Knicks Basketball team New York Knicks have been valued at $7.5 billion. The team is owned by owned by James Dolan and his family, who control Madison Square Garden Sports Corporation. New York Knicks play its home games at Madison Square Garden, an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. Also Read: World’s Richest Sports Team Owners As Of 20254. New York Yankees Another New York based sports team to feature on this lucrative list is New York Yankees. New York Yankess is a baseball team and features in Major League Baseball. The team is valued at $7.55 billion. The Yankees are owned by Yankee Global Enterprises which in turn is controlled by the Steinbrenner family. 3. Los Angeles Rams American football team Los Angeles Rams is the third-highest valued sports franchise in the world. The team’s value is $7.60 billion. The Rams play in National Football League and plays its home games at the SoFi Stadium. American billionaire Stan Korenke owns the team. Korenke is also the owner of Premier League giants Arsenal. 2. Golden State Warriors Basketball team Golden State Warriors is the second-most valued sports franchise in the world at $8.8 billion. The team competes in the National Basketball Association and is based in San Francisco. Chase Center in California is the home venue for Golden State Warriors. The team is co-owned by American billionaires Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. 1. Dallas Cowboys At $10.1 billion, Dallas Cowboys remains the most valued sports franchise in the world. Dallas Cowboys is an American Football team and features in the National Football League. The team has retained its position on the list for nine straight years. Dallas Cowboys play their home games at the AT&T Stadium. The team is owned by American businessman Jerry Jones. Prakhar SachdeoThe Sportz Planet Desk
Arjun Nimmala: First Indian American MLB Player Docuseries Premieres
The new project highlights the expanded partnership between Major League Baseball and Disney Star Major League Baseball (MLB) and Disney Star have collaborated with IMG and Amped Pictures to produce ‘Indian Baseball Dreams’, a docuseries that tells the story of first-generation Indian American Arjun Nimmala. Nimmala was drafted in the first round of the MLB amateur draft in July by the Toronto Blue Jays, making history as the first-ever first-generation Indian American to be drafted at such a high position across any of the four major US professional sports. According to MLB, its no. 11 draft prospect Nimmala’s age and offensive upside make leeway for him to play the shortstop position for a long time. The docuseries takes viewers along Nimmala’s journey to further explore his roots in his parents’ hometown of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and to uncover India’s sporting culture – meeting up with Ajinkya Rahane for a bit of friendly cricket, the sport Nimmala grew up practising. Throughout the docuseries, Nimmala meets India’s budding baseball talents whose stories are also featured. The four-part documentary will be launched on 18 October 2023, on Star Sports Select 1 & Star Sports Select 2, and the final episode will be aired on 21 October 2023. Additionally, ‘Indian Baseball Dreams’ will launch nationwide on Disney+ Hotstar in November. The docuseries is part of an expanded partnership renewal between MLB and Disney Star. Along with broadcasting the World Series as it has done since 2020, Star Sports is airing additional rounds of the Major League Baseball Postseason live throughout October and November for the first time on Star Sports Select 1 and 2. These telecasts are produced specifically for the Indian market for the first time, and feature MLB’s best teams as they chase a World Series title. “Indian Baseball Dreams highlights Nimmala’s exceptional talent, dedication, and the growing influence of baseball beyond borders. It’s a captivating journey that bridges cultures, showcasing the universal power of sports to inspire triumph and heritage.” Star Sports Spokesperson. Nimmala’s content series is an extensive part of MLB’s plan to enter the Indian market. MLB, which described India as an exciting growth market, earlier in 2023 opened career opportunities for freelance roles to develop a series that resonates with the Indian audience and helps them establish a market for MLB in India. Sports like baseball, such as cricket, generated a revenue of Rs 20-22 bn this year, according to Elara Capital.
