04/25/24
August 01, 2022
Dallas Cowboys Worth More Than Any Team on Earth: Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys for $150 million in 1989. They're now the most lucrative sports franchise on the planet with a worth of $7.64 billion, $630 million ahead of the New York Yankees.
The groundwork for the high valuation of the Cowboys was laid before Jones bought the team.
Through the divisional changes and realignments before and after the AFL-NFL merger, the Cowboys managed to keep themselves assigned to the East, with their wagon hitched to the fortunes of the Eagles, Redskins and Giants, then and now among the most valuable franchises in the sport.
The NFL/NFC East has always been the most valuable division in football. Regardless of competitiveness.
In the mid 1970's, Commissioner Pete Rozelle's salary was $200,000. Last year, Roger Goodell made $64 million. The league's revenues have gone off the charts, with more new sources on the horizon. The increase in the Dallas valuation was partly due to an overall rising tide lifting all boats.
There has also been a recent trend of despicable conduct being rewarded with unprecedented sums of money. Among the Donald Trumps and Deshaun Watsons is Donald Sterling, who negotiated a sale price of over 2 billion when he was forced to sell the Clippers. That was a watershed moment for major league pro sports team valuation.
Nevertheless, what Jerry Jones & Co. have done to maximize the Cowboys' valuation and revenue is remarkable. And he's done it despite hiring the likes of Chan Gailey and Dave Campo, drafting a lot of no go's and not having a Tom Brady caliber face of the franchise.
posted by beaverboard at 02:06 PM on August 01, 2022
It's kind of amazing. Depending on your perspective, Jones is either a shining beacon of capitalist success or the epitome of failing upwards.
Having spent about equal time in both now, I will say that Cardinals fans in St. Louis, while entitled as all get out, aren't anywhere near the level of Cowboys fans in the DFW area. Like, not even close.
posted by Ufez Jones at 02:02 PM on August 02, 2022
Sports teams don't need to win to be valuable. The Leafs are another example of this. Jones and Leafs management know exactly what is important to the bottom line ... they focus on the money and not success.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:08 AM on August 09, 2022
Jones is bad at producing a champion but he's exceptionally good at making money. And the NFL has barely begun to capitalize on legal sports betting.
When Jones bought the team I thought he was small time. I didn't see him turning the Cowboys into this much money even as the team continues a quarter century away from the Super Bowl.