Forbes: Braves surpass $1 billion in value
The Atlanta Braves have joined a growing group of pro sports franchises estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.
Forbes magazine, in releasing its annual ranking of Major League Baseball franchise values Wednesday, said the Braves are worth $1.15 billion, up 58 percent from last year.
Across the board, MLB franchise values increased by an average of 48 percent this year, the largest year-over-year jump since Forbes began its annual study in 1998. League-wide, the increases were driven largely by new local and national TV deals.
The Braves’ valuation also has gotten a big boost from the team’s planned move in 2017 to a new Cobb County stadium, which will be built partly with taxpayer dollars.
MLB teams are now worth an average of $1.2 billion, Forbes said. At $1.15 billion, the Braves are the 12th most valuable baseball franchise and are among 15 valued at $1 billion-plus. Last year, when the Braves were valued at $730 million, only five MLB teams topped $1 billion.
The New York Yankees remain baseball’s most valuable franchise, estimated by Forbes to be worth $3.2 billion. The Los Angeles Dodgers are second at $2.4 billion.
Forbes estimated the Braves’ operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for 2014 at $33.2 million.
About the Author
Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.
