SIMONE DEL ROSARIO:

THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS JUST COMMANDED SIX BILLION DOLLARS TO SELL. IT’S QUITE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR PROBLEMATIC OWNER DAN SNYDER, WHO BOUGHT THE TEAM IN 1999 FOR 800 MILLION…WHICH AT THE TIME WAS A RECORD PRICE FOR A U-S SPORTS FRANCHISE. TURNS OUT – SPORTS TEAMS MAKE GREAT BETS – HERE ARE THE MAJOR MEN’S TEAMS WITH THE FASTEST GROWING VALUES IN THEIR SPORT IN THIS WEEK’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY.

THE NEW YORK YANKEES ARE EASILY THE MOST VALUABLE MLB FRANCHISE. LOOK YOU’VE GOT THE GREATS LIKE THE BABE, MANTLE, MARIS, AND JETER ALL DONNING PINSTRIPES. THE YANKS’ VALUE JUMPED TO $7.1 BILLION IN 2023, A 78% INCREASE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. TV REVENUE FROM THE YES NETWORK IS A BIG PLUS. PLUS, AARON JUDGE BREAKING THE A-L HOME RUN RECORD WITH 62 AND A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN? THAT’S GONNA KEEP BUTTS IN THE SEATS TO PAY FOR THAT STAR-STUDDED ROSTER.

NFL TEAMS ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN ALL OF SPORTS. AND THE LAS VEGAS RAIDERS HAVE GONE FROM A $2.4 BILLION DOLLAR VALUATION TO $5.1 IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS. THAT’S A 113% INCREASE. NOT TOO SHABBY AFTER BEING THE SECOND CHEAPEST TEAM IN 2015. ALL IT TOOK WAS MOVE TO VEGAS AND A STATE OF THE ART STADIUM AND BAM, THEY CRACKED THE TOP TEN. (VO – ALLEGIANT STADIUM FULL – ADD IN HEADLINE REVEAL) IN FACT, THE RAIDERS LED THE LEAGUE IN TICKET SALES IN 2021 AT $119 MILLION. THE COMMANDERS? WERE SECOND TO LAST.

YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO WIN TO BE WORTH A LOT, JUST ASK THE COWBOYS, BUT WINNING IS HOW THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS SOARED. FORBES HAS ‘EM WORTH $7 BILL, BUT OTHERS SEE IT CLOSER TO $7.5, MORE THAN DOUBLING IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. FOUR TITLES SINCE 2015 AND THE BRAND NEW CHASE CENTER GOT THEM THERE. THAT’S WHY THEY CAN AFFORD THE HIGHEST PAID NBA PLAYER. STEPH CURRY AND KLAY THOMPSON SHOULD BE CALLED THE “CASH” BROTHERS. IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW.

HOCKEY’S EDMONTON OILERS ARE THE LEAST VALUABLE TEAM ON THIS LIST AT $1.3 BILLION, BUT THE FRANCHISE VALUE’S GROWN 145% IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. FOR THE UNINITIATED, EDMONTON IS WHERE THE GREAT ONE WAYNE GRETZKY STARTED HIS NHL CAREER. LAST YEAR THE TEAM LAUNCHED OILERS PLUS, A NEW STREAMING SERVICE THAT OFFERS FANS EVERYTHING BUT THE ACTUAL GAME. CANADIAN BILLIONAIRE DARYL KATZ BOUGHT THE TEAM 15 YEARS AGO FOR ABOUT $200 MIL. HOW’S THAT FOR R-O-I?

PARIS SAINT GERMAIN HAS THE FASTEST GROWING VALUE IN THE WORLD, UP 280% OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. HERE’S A CLUB THAT’S REALLY TURNED IT AROUND BY PAYING THE HIGHEST SALARIES! HAHA! WE’VE GOT A FIVE FOR FRIDAY ON IT. WITH SUPERSTARS LIKE MBAPPE, MESSI, AND NEYMAR, THEY’VE FINISHED FIRST OR SECOND IN THEIR LEAGUE FOR THE LAST DECADE. BUT WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN WITH TWO OF THEIR BRIGHTEST TRYING TO BAIL? SOMETHING TELLS ME THEY’LL COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO BRING IN MORE, THE CLUB IS OWNED BY THE COUNTRY QATAR, AND THE WEALTH FUND IS WORTH NEARLY HALF A TRILLION.

MORAL OF THE STORY, GOT A FEW BILLION AND SOME RICH FRIENDS? POOL IT TOGETHER, A SPORTS TEAM IS A GREAT INVESTMENT. JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT OVER THE WEEKEND. THAT’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY. I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO. IT’S JUST BUSINESS.