2020 wasn't an optimal year financially for Major League Baseball, but don't let that convince you that the 30 franchises have been hurt from a long-term perspective.
Monday, Forbes released their 2021 valuations of all 30 MLB teams, and none have dropped in value over the last year. In fact, the defending American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays, who held serve at $1.055 billion in total value, are the only team that didn't see a year-over-year increase from 2020 to 2021.
The New York Yankees continue to be the most valuable franchise, with an estimated pricetag of $5 billion. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants round out the top five. The Miami Marlins - believed to be worth $990 million - are the least valuable franchise in baseball.
This shouldn't be confused with saying that teams didn't take losses in 2020. While you can't lose money that you haven't yet made, organizations spent prior to the 2020 season like there would be a full 162-game season with fans in attendance, which didn't happen.
Compared to what they had projected, Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press reported last November that the Philadelphia Phillies lost $145 million. Still, Forbes says that the Phillies are now worth $2.05 billion, a two percent increase from a year ago. Similar trends exist throughout the sport.
With fans back at varying levels across the sport and a full 162-game season, revenues should climb at an even higher rate over the next calendar year.
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