It is no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals have been called a “cheap” NFL franchise over the years. We have seen big changes in how they operate over the last half-decade, and with NFL television revenue, they’re always going to turn a profit. It is basically impossible not to.
While they will make plenty of money each season, Sportico released rankings of the most valuable NFL franchises, and Cincinnati was ranked dead last.
For reference, they were valued at $7.4 billion, which is only small in
this regard, though it is a 35% increase from last year.
“The Cincinnati Bengals have been parked at No. 32 for seven straight years in Sportico’s annual NFL team valuations. The small-market club plays in an older stadium, ranks near the bottom on local revenue and lacks a national brand from its Super Bowl trophy-less history.“
That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Cincinnati doesn’t have the mega stadium, the “Patriot Place” style complex outside of their stadium, or an owner with billions of dollars from other ventures. They are, to this day, a family-run organization passed down from one of the founding fathers of football.
And even with the Bengals’ 32nd-ranked valuation, they are still one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, as the article explains.
“Yet there are only six sports franchises on the planet outside the NFL that are worth more than the Bengals. The list includes three from the NBA, two in MLB and LaLiga’s Real Madrid. The NFL’s least valuable team is worth $7.4 billion, by Sportico’s count, and all 32 teams land among the world’s 40 most valuable “sports franchises.”
The Brown family is still making plenty of money, including a $453 million check sent to them by the NFL for TV revenue. Will they ever match the value of the Dallas Cowboys? Probably not.
In reality, they don’t need to.
