Sportico have released their latest ranking of the world's most valuable football clubs with 23 MLS franchises featuring in the top 50, including seven ahead of Newcastle
Sportico released their latest ranking of the most valuable football clubs on Wednesday, with 23 MLS franchises featuring in the top 50.
Los Angeles FC, soon to be graced by renowned forward Olivier Giroud, tops the MLS chart with an impressive $1.15 billion (£920 million) valuation, while seven MLS outfits have outpaced the likes of Premier League giants Newcastle United, and West Ham. The list, which takes into account commercial deals, broadcasting rights and matchday revenues, crowned Manchester United as the highest-valued football club on the planet, tipping the scales at over $6.2 billion (£5bn).
Hot on their heels are Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid, with six Premier League clubs making the cut in the top 10. Since its first kick-off in 1996, the MLS has seen a meteoric rise, expanding to 29 teams and ensuring nearly all enjoy the luxury of football-specific stadiums.
This growth has been achieved while embracing a distinct American flavour, from the league's once-notorious "hockey-style" shootouts to its playoff system and absence of relegation often mocked but perhaps key to the league's financial triumphs. "Top European clubs dwarf Major League Soccer ones on revenue, but MLS has the upper hand on cost controls, modern stadiums and a single-entity structure that fosters ownership collaboration," Sportico's sport valuations reporter Kurt Badenhausen penned.
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"The lack of relegation also sets a floor for MLS values that has risen dramatically over the past decade." Yet, as a certain Argentinian football legend celebrates his first year in the US, a 'Messi Miracle' has seen MLS start to rival many of Europe's elite clubs.
Lionel Messi made waves by joining David Beckham's Inter Miami CF in July 2023, attracting celebrities like LeBron James, Prince Harry, and Kim Kardashian to the stands. Turning down a heftier cheque from Saudi Arabia, Messi was swayed partly by the chance for increased ownership and investment opportunities in the US.
His arrival sparked an immediate $2 billion (£1.6bn) surge in league revenue, up 27 percent from the previous season, as MLS eyes balancing a modest $10 million (£8m) per team broadcast revenue in 2023 with a lucrative 10-year, $2.5 billion (£2bn) streaming deal with Apple TV.
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"This is a fantastic opportunity, and together we will continue to build this beautiful project," Messi expressed post-signing with Inter Miami. "The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set, and I'm very eager to start helping here in my new home."
Inter Miami narrowly missed out on first place in overall revenue to LAFC by just $1 million (£800m), and the South Florida club could rake in as much as $200 million (£160m) in 2024 if a Messi-focused preseason tour is completed. Atlanta United is the third MLS club valued at over $1 billion (£800m), with LA Galaxy, Beckham's old team, and New York City FC, owned by City Football Group, rounding off the league's top 5 richest clubs.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.