We tend to think of NFL football teams, not as brands, rather as teams. Which is the way it should be; nevertheless NFL teams are big business, partly because each NFL team is a strong brand. Yet these strong brands are not immune from recessionary pressures.
According to Forbes, NFL team values fell two percent last season to an average of $1.02 billion, the first decline since the magazine began tracking the league’s finances in 1998, with 21 of the league’s 32 teams seeing their value drop.
By far, the most valuable NFL team is the Dallas Cowboys: its value increased a league high 9 percent, to $1.8 billion. The team, worth more than any other sports franchise in the world, save soccer club Manchester United ($1.84 billion), moved into its new $1.25 billion stadium last season and sold out every regular season game with the league’s highest average ticket price, $160.
The Detroit Lions owned by auto scion William Clay Ford are one of only two teams in the league to lose money ($2.9 million) last season. The Miami Dolphins lost $7.7 million.
