Man Utd have WORST growth out of top sports teams
Suraj Radia
- 8 Sept 2022 19:23 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United have had the lowest growth in the past five years out of the top 50 most valuable sports teams, according to Forbes’ most recent list.
The 2022 data has United listed as the 19th most valuable sports team in the world at $4.6 billion, marking a 24% growth from five years ago.
However, their growth is the lowest among any team in the list, highlighting how far United’s commercial revenue and income has stagnated under the ownership of the Glazers.
Real Madrid are considered the most valuable football team in the world at $5.1bn, ranking 13th overall and edging out rivals Barcelona, who are 15th with a value of $5bn.
The biggest growers out of the entire rankings are Paris Saint-Germain, whose $3.2bn valuation is a whopping 280% higher than five years prior, putting them joint 48th on the list.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea are the other Premier League sides to make the top 50, while Bayern Munich are the only other football team in the rankings.
The list marks a dramatic change from recent years, with Real Madrid, United and Barcelona previously ranking as the top three teams in 2013.
The 50 teams in total are worth a combined $222.7bn, 30% higher than last year and the biggest increase in the past five years.
The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable team at $8bn, a position they have held since 2016, and NFL teams make up 60% of the list, largely due to the league signing a media deal worth $112bn until 2032, the richest deal in sports history.
Related articles
United’s struggles laid out
United’s drop down the Forbes list will likely be of significant interest to shareholders, given the integrity normally awarded to the rankings.
Supporters have been vocal over their disdain for the Glazers’ ownership and the American family have reportedly been willing to listen to offers for a minority stake in the club.
The World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2022 https://t.co/j1WBjI7eLn pic.twitter.com/xQJOxFfY1F
— Forbes (@Forbes) September 8, 2022
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who owns French club Nice, has already declared his interest in investing in United should the opportunity arise but nothing is believed to be imminent.
The Glazer family’s other sports ownership, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are 37th on the list with a value of $3.68bn and have had a growth of 86% in the past five years.
