Los Angeles Dodgers: Valued as Top 10 Most Valuable Sports Franchise in America

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise was estimated at a $3.3 billion value, good for the eighth-highest of any American sports franchise, according to Yahoo Finance.

This astronomical figure puts the Dodgers as the second-most valuable MLB franchise, trailing only the New York Yankees who are valued at $4.6 billion — the second-most valuable sports franchise in America.

This number for the Dodgers truly comes as no surprise considering the enormous market of Los Angeles, their history, and the fact that they are one of the best teams in baseball and have been for some time. Sustained success in addition to rich history is always a selling point when it comes to a sports franchise, also evident with the franchises listed above the Dodgers. Obviously, market size also plays an integral role in shaping the dollar figure for a team.

Back in 2012, the Guggenheim Baseball Group, figure-headed by Lakers legend Magic Johnson, bought the Dodgers for a record-setting $2 billion. They have already seen a return on their investment.

This is a look at Statista’s graph on the Dodgers franchise value over the last 17 years:

They have come a long way. At the time of the 2012 purchase, the franchise was valued at just $1.4 billion and under the infamous McCourt ownership of the mid 2000s, the value was routinely under $1 billion while larger markets like the New York Yankees routinely stayed above that line. For reference, the Dodgers saw their first $1 billion valuation come in 2012. The Yankees saw it come in 2006. That just goes to show the lack of true care on behalf of the McCourt ownership during their era.

Under new ownership, this team has been allowed to spread its wings and return to Los Angeles lore. They are no longer a laughing stock and source of disappointment in Los Angeles, they are the pride and joy.