CINCINNATI (WKRC) – The Dallas Cowboys have once again claimed the top spot in Sportico’s 2025 NFL Franchise Valuations Ranking, boasting a record valuation, while the Cincinnati Bengals remain the league’s lowest valuable team.
NFL franchises continued to skyrocket in value overall, with all 32 teams experiencing year-over-year valuation increases. The Cowboys became the first to eclipse $12 billion. The $12.8 billion valuation marks a 24% increase from the previous year, solidifying their status as the most valuable team in the NFL and one of the most valuable franchises in sports.
The Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants also surpassed the $10 billion mark, with valuations of $10.43 billion and $10.25 billion, respectively. The New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers round out the top five, each valued at over $8 billion.
The Bengals valuation was $5.5 billion, the lowest, yet a 17% increase from last year and still one of the most valuable in the world.
BENGALS VALUATIONS (and NFL rank):
2025: $5.5 billion (32)2024: $4.7 billion (32)2023: $4.0 billion (32)2022: $2.8 billion (32)
Two franchises this year increased by more than 30% (Rams and Giants at 34%).
Sportico’s valuation methodology considers the “sum of the enterprise value of an NFL franchise combined with the value of team-related business and real estate holdings,” excluding related businesses held by owners. The report highlights that on-field success does not always correlate with financial performance, as evidenced by the Cowboys’ continued dominance despite recent struggles.
The NFL’s average team valuation now stands at $7.13 billion, a 20% increase from the previous year, outpacing other major sports leagues. By comparison, per Yahoo Sports, the average NBA team was valued at $4.6 billion, the average MLB team at $2.82 billion and the average NHL team at $1.79 billion.