Forbes: Phoenix Suns are NBA’s 13th-most valuable team
Jan 23, 2013, 5:51 PM | Updated: 6:04 pm
As far as NBA teams go, the Phoenix Suns are about middle of the pack when it comes to franchise value.
According to Forbes, the Suns are the 13th-most valuable franchise in the league. The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls make up the top three, while the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats and Milwaukee Bucks are at the bottom.
The Suns are valued at $474 million, and the rest of the organization’s breakdown is below.
Owner: Robert Sarver
Championships: 0
Price Paid: $404 M
Year Purchased: 2004
Revenue: $121 M
Operating Income: $13.0 M
Debt/Value: 39%
Player Expenses: $60 M
Gate Receipts: $28 M
Wins-to-player cost ratio: 86
Revenue per Fan: $18
Metro Area Population: 4.4 M
Forbes notes how the Suns have cut ticket prices in recent years, but that it really has not helped at the box office. Attendance at US Airways Center has dropped in each of the last three seasons.
Fans are tuning out at home as well with local TV ratings off a league-worst 37% on FS Arizona.
This season the Suns are 25th in the NBA in attendance, averaging 14,769 fans in 21 home games. With a 13-28 record and a season seemingly spinning out of control, it’s worth wondering if things are about to get worse for the Valley’s original professional sports team.
