ManU edged Real Madrid to retain its title as the world's most valuable sports franchise, according to Kurt Badenhausen of FORBES. ManU's estimated worth is now $2.2B, slightly more than No. 2 Real Madrid, whose worth is estimated at $1.9B. Barcelona came in at No. 8 with a worth of $1.3B while Arsenal was the third football club in Forbes' top 10, coming in at No. 10 with an estimated worth of $1.3B. ManU has "a host of lucrative sponsorships in place." Insurer Aon pays $31M a year to put its name on the team’s jerseys in a deal that runs through '14. Last year, DHL Express inked a four-year deal with the club worth a reported $62M to sponsor ManU’s practice jerseys. It is "the first case of a practice jersey sponsorship deal" for football in the U.K. Nike manages the team’s merchandise sales and the agreement is worth a minimum of $39M "based on overall sales" in a deal through '15. F1 team Ferrari ranked No. 15 on Forbes' list with a value of $1.1B, up 3% from last year. Ferrari extended its $52M yearly sponsorship deal this year with Spanish bank Santander. This followed Ferrari’s "blockbuster extension" with sponsor Marlboro last year that was worth up to $500M over three years. McLaren’s value fell 2% this year to $800M as main backer Vodafone is "reviewing its sports sponsorship commitments" (FORBES, 7/16).
