Baseball’s media ecosystem is undergoing huge changes, but that hasn’t stopped team values from soaring.
The New York Yankees’ lofty perch became even loftier as the team’s valuation rocketed 18% from last year to $7.1 billion, per Forbes’ latest tally.
Using 2022’s NFL team valuations, that would make the Yankees the second-most valuable sports team in the world after the $8 billion Dallas Cowboys.
After the Yankees, there’s a steep dropoff to the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers ($4.8 billion), followed by other major-market teams like the Boston Red Sox ($4.5 billion), Chicago Cubs ($4.1 billion), and San Francisco Giants ($3.7 billion).
The bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group, which broadcasts 14 MLB teams, presents challenges for many teams outside the biggest media markets. The top teams are generally insulated from that issue — many have standalone sports networks, such as the Yankees’ YES Network.
The average team value grew 12%, despite 10 teams registering an operating loss — led by the free-spending New York Mets (sixth at $2.9 billion), who took a $138.5 million hit.
Success on the field was rewarded as well: The Seattle Mariners, who made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2001, saw their valuation leap 29% to $2.2 billion.
