Which NBA Franchise is Worth the Most?

Forbes recently released their evaluation of NBA franchises and we break down which ones are worth the most.

The New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are the most valuable NBA franchise, according to Forbes. They are worth $4 billion, which is more than double the worth of the second most valuable franchise. The Knicks are one of the most popular teams in the NBA, and they have a large fan base. They also play in one of the largest markets in the world.

History

The Knicks began play in 1946 as an expansion team in the Basketball Association of America (BBA), which was founded in 1937. In 1949, the Knicks joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the merger between the BBA and the National Basketball League (NBL). The team played at Madison Square Garden (MSG) for 68 seasons, beginning in 1947.

Financials

The Knicks are the most valuable NBA franchise, worth $4 billion, according to Forbes’ annual ranking released Wednesday. That’s up 15 percent from last year and more than double the $1.8 billion valuation from five years ago. The Knicks’ value has increased under James Dolan’s tenure as owner.

The Lakers are No. 2 on the list at $3.7 billion, while the Warriors are third at $3.5 billion. Rounding out the top five are the Bulls ($2.9 billion) and Celtics ($2.8 billion).

The Los Angeles Lakers

History

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, an arena shared with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, and have won 16 NBA championships, their last being in 2010.

As of 2019, the Lakers are valued at $3.7 billion, making them the second most valuable franchise in the NBA behind only their crosstown rivals, the Clippers.

Financials

As of 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers are the most valuable NBA franchise, worth an estimated $4.4 billion. The team is owned by Dr. Jerry Buss, who purchased the team in 1979 for $67 million. Since then, the value of the franchise has skyrocketed, thanks in part to its unprecedented success on the court. With 16 NBA championships to its name, the Lakers are one of the most successful teams in basketball history.

The team’s estimated value is more than double that of the second most valuable franchise, the New York Knicks, who are worth an estimated $4 billion. The Knicks are followed by the Warriors ($3.5 billion), Bulls ($2.9 billion), and Celtics ($2.8 billion).

The Golden State Warriors

History

The franchise began in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. In 1962, the franchise relocationed to San Francisco and became known as the San Francisco Warriors until 1971, when its name was changed to the current Golden State Warriors. The Warriors won two NBA championships in Philadelphia (1947 and 1956) and Golden State has captured five NBA titles since moving to California (1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019), most recently winning back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.

Financials

Forbes estimates the Warriors are worth $3.5 billion, up 11% over last year and good for fifth in the NBA. They’re the most valuable NBA franchise not located in New York City. The Warriors are coming off a season in which they won a league-record 73 games, then lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

The team generated an operating income of $77 million last season, second in the NBA behind only the Cavs. Revenue increased 14% to $341 million thanks to higher ticket prices and demand for premium seating at new Oracle Arena, which opened last year. The Warriors sold out every home game during the 2015-16 season and had a waiting list of 14,000 fans for season tickets.

The team’s local television deal with NBC Sports Bay Area is worth $40 million annually, which is second in the NBA only to the Los Angeles Lakers’ pact with Time Warner Cable SportsNet (and will increase to $100 million when it expires in 2024). National TV revenue will jump from $54 million this season to $85 million next year thanks to new eight-year deals with ESPN/ABC and TNT.

The Chicago Bulls

History

The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 16, 1966 and plays its home games at the United Center, an arena shared with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Bulls saw their greatest success during the 1990s when they were responsible for popularizing the NBA worldwide. They are known for having one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties, winning six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats. All six championship teams were led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson. The Bulls are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships and never lose an NBA Finals series in their history. They are also the only franchise to never have won a championship when not led by Jordan, Pippen or Jackson.

The bulls have played in ten NBA Finals overall.,winning six times(1991–1993,1996–1998), while losing four(1975,1991,1992,1993). Their first appearance came in 1963 when they lost to the Boston Celtics in five games; their most recent appearance came in 1998, when they also lost to Jazz in six games. Between 1975 and 1998—spanning fourteen seasons—the bulls registered only one losing campaign(1982–83). In that span of time, captured fourteen divisional titles and eight conference crowns

Financials

Forbes released its annual NBA franchise valuations on Wednesday, with the Bulls coming in at No. 4 overall at $3.2 billion. That’s up 13% from last year and good for second in the Eastern Conference behind only the Knicks ($4 billion). The Lakers ($3.7 billion) are once again atop the list, followed by the Warriors ($3.5 billion).

The Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are the most successful franchise in NBA history. They have won a record seventeen NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966. The Celtics have also appeared in the NBA Finals twenty-seven times, more than any other team in the league. They have an estimated worth of $3.1 billion, which makes them the most valuable NBA franchise.

History

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight teams, the team play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League (NHL)’s Boston Bruins. The Celtics are one of the most successful teams in NBA history; they have won the most championships of any NBA franchise with 17, accounting for 24.6 percent of all NBA championships since the league’s founding in 1947. As such, they are one of the favorite teams to bet on among serious NBA fans and casual bettors alike.

The Celtics have a rich and storied history, having won more championships than any other NBA franchise. They were founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight teams, and play their home games at TD Garden. The team has won 17 championships, accounting for 24.6 percent of all NBA championships since the league’s founding in 1947.

The Celtics have a long-standing rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won 16 titles themselves. The two teams have met twelve times in the Finals, with the Celtics winning nine times. Other notable rivals include the Philadelphia 76ers, whom they have faced six times in the Finals (winning four times), and the New York Knicks, against whom they have played four times in the Finals (winning twice).

Financials

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight teams, the team play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League (NHL)’s Boston Bruins. The Celtics are one of the most successful teams in NBA history; they have won the most championships of any franchise with 17, including 8 consecutive wins from 1959 to 1966 which is the second longest winning streak in NBA history (after the LA Lakers’ 33 consecutive wins), as well as owning the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team. They currently have the best winning percentage in NBA history.

The financials of an NBA franchise are public record, and can be found on the ESPN website. The following is a breakdown of the financials of the Boston Celtics.

Revenue: $431 million
Operating Income: $60.6 million
Player Expenses: $127 million
Gate Receipts: $75 million
TV/Radio Rights: $61 million
Arena Naming Rights: $40 million