Cardinals rank No. 30 in Forbes’ most valuable NFL franchises for 2022
Aug 22, 2022, 8:22 PM
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso, File)
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso, File)
Forbes released its evaluation of how much each NFL franchise is worth on Monday and saw the Arizona Cardinals place No. 30 with a worth of $3.27 billion and $112 million in operating income, a 23% increase from last season.
Arizona ranked No. 27 in 2021 at $2.65 billion with $16.2 million in operating income.
Forbes cites the sale of the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion as a major “game-changer” for the NFL as the new buyer, Walmart heir Rob Walton, paid a 24% premium and paved the way for value compared to what Forbes had a year ago, according to the website.
The method the company used to determine operating income is taking each team’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as 2022 saw a significant jump in operating income and cash evaluations as COVID-19 restrictions have been milder.
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The company said the average NFL team is now worth $4.47 billion in 2022, a 28% uptick since last season.
Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys top the list with an evaluation of $8 billion, $1.6 billion higher than the second-place New England Patriots at $6.4 billion. NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams placed third on the list at $6.2 billion.
The Detroit Lions ($3.05 billion) and Cincinnati Bengals ($3 billion) are the only two teams valued less than the Cardinals.
The Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns all increased in value by over 40% from 2021.
Forbes lists the Bears as the next potential landing spot for a new owner looking to buy a team, citing the third-largest market in the U.S as well as the team’s desire to build a new stadium or upgrade their current one.
