Forbes values Diamondbacks at $925 million
Mar 25, 2016, 5:05 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt (44) is congratulated by Peter O'Brien after hitting a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Friday, March 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Arizona Diamondbacks moved up to No. 18 in the latest Forbes rankings of the most valuable franchises in Major League Baseball with a team value of $925 million.
According to the business magazine, the D-backs had a 2015 revenue of $223 million with an operating income of $17 million.
The team moved up five spots from its 2015 ranking at No. 24, where the magazine valued it at $840 million. Part of the reason for the increase in value is the Diamondbacks’ new television contract with Fox Sports Arizona.
The Diamondbacks have a new local television deal that will add roughly $30 million to the team’s coffers beginning with the 2016 season.
The New York Yankees topped the rankings with a team value of $3.4 billion, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers at $2.5 billion. The Boston Red Sox were third on the list at $2.3 billion with the San Francisco Giants at $2.25 billion and the Chicago Cubs at $2.2 billion rounding out the top five.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays are the least-valuable franchise, appraised at $650 million. Other teams in the bottom five include the Miami Marlins at $675 million, the Oakland Athletics at $725 million, the Cleveland Indians at $800 million and the Colorado Rockies at $860 million.
Last year’s World Series Champions, the Kansas City Royals, were ranked No. 25 at $865 million.
