Kicking the Numbers: They’re all about value

Photo: Paul Kahl

Nineteen of the fifty most valuable soccer clubs in the World are in Major League Soccer.

Back on May 7th, Sportico released its annual list of the Fifty Most Valuable Soccer Clubs in the World. The significant surprise was that 19 of the top 50 come from Major League Soccer. The top fifteen are still all in Europe, but to see so many MLS clubs on this list raised some eyebrows.

Leading the MLS contingent was LAFC, 16th overall, valued at $1.42 billion. Inter Miami is one peg behind them in 17th valued at $1.19 billion. Other MLS teams on the list are as follows with their rank and valuation: LA Galaxy (!8th, $1.11B), Atlanta United (19th, $1.08B), NYCFC (20th, $1.0B), Austin FC (23rd, $865 million), Seattle Sounders (25th, $825M), Columbus Crew (33rd, $730M), Toronto FC (34th, $725M), FC Cincinnati (35th, $725M), DC United (36th, $720M), Portland Timbers (37th, $720M), Charlotte FC (39th, $705M), Philadelphia Union (40th, $700M), St. Louis CITY SC (42nd, $655M), Minnesota United (43rd, $655M), Sporting Kansas City (44th, $650M), New York Red Bulls (45th, $645M), and Nashville SC (46th, $640M).

Factors include revenues from broadcast, match day, and commercial. There are multipliers, though, and one such multiplier favoring MLS clubs according to David Skilling of Original Football is the real estate. Quite a few teams on this list are landlords and own their own stadiums or building new ones in the case of Inter Miami.

Skilling cites the Herons’ upcoming Freedom Park not just for the stadium that will open next season, but the valuation includes future earnings from commercial buildings, hotels, retail, and more. It’s now a trend with other sports as well as soccer that it’s not enough to have a stadium, but something akin to Ballpark Village in St. Louis.

Other factors benefitting MLS according to Skilling are the expansion fees like the $500 million fee that San Diego FC put up as well as the fact that there is no promotion or relegation in MLS. Predictability breeds long-term value.

Yes, Lionel Messi is a factor, but so is the Apple TV deal. The ten-year, $2.5 billion global streaming deal consolidates all league content into one platform and gives the league full control over how its product is distributed and marketed worldwide.

In its 30th season, MLS by all accounts is thriving with thirty clubs, some of the best players in the world, and a unique way to distribute its content worldwide. Though we can’t say for sure in terms of the broadcasts if and when Apple will ever reveal its number of subscribers. We may see New England and Chicago on this list soon if they ever get new stadiums. It’s really only a matter of time before we see San Diego on the list.

Though it may be a while, if at all, before we see MLS clubs valued as much as the Real Madrids and Manchester Uniteds of the world, but MLS’s business acumen is really showing and clubs elsewhere in the world are taking notice.