The Cowboys are worth $2.1B, "more than any sports team on the planet" short of EPL club Manchester United, according to this year's list of the "NFL's Most Valuable Teams" compiled by FORBES. The Cowboys for the '11 season generated $500M in total revenue, "a record for an American sports team." The team also posted operating income of $227M, which was $108M "more than any other football team and more than either the entire" NBA or NHL. Meanwhile, the average NFL team is now worth $1.1B, up 7% from last year. The two teams that "rose the most in value" from '11 to '12 were the Vikings (22%) and the 49ers (19%) as "both teams secured financing for new stadiums." On average, "revenues increased 6%" during the '11 season, to $276M per team. Operating income averaged $41M a team compared with $31M during the '10 season, and player costs "increased just 4%" (FORBES, 9/ '12 issue). Cowboys Exec VP & COO Stephen Jones addressed the valuation of the Cowboys and alluded to the fact that his father, Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, "won't sell" the team. Stephen Jones: "We'll never know what it's worth" (SI.com, 9/6).
| '12 FORBES NFL TEAM VALUATIONS |
| RK | TEAM | VALUE | 1 YR
% +/- | DEBT/
VALUE | REVENUE | OPERATING
INCOME |
| 1 | Cowboys | $2.100B | 14% | 13% | $500M | $226.7M |
| 2 | Patriots | $1.635B | 17% | 16% | $380M | $118.8M |
| 3 | Redskins | $1.600B | 3% | 28% | $373M | $109.0M |
| 4 | Giants | $1.468B | 13% | 44% | $326M | $59.0M |
| 5 | Texans | $1.305B | 9% | 15% | $304M | $61.9M |
| 6 | Jets | $1.284B | 5% | 58% | $299M | $27.0M |
| 7 | Eagles | $1.260B | 8% | 8% | $296M | $48.2M |
| 8 | Bears | $1.190B | 9% | 10% | $286M | $65.3M |
| 9 | 49ers | $1.175B | 19% | 11% | $245M | $30.0M |
| 10 | Packers | $1.161B | 7% | 2% | $276M | $43.1M |
| 11 | Ravens | $1.157B | 6% | 23% | $279M | $48.6M |
| 12 | Colts | $1.154B | 9% | 4% | $268M | $62.6M |
| 13 | Broncos | $1.132B | 8% | 13% | $276M | $49.3M |
| 14 | Steelers | $1.100B | 8% | 18% | $266M | -$0.8M |
| 15 | Dolphins | $1.060B | 5% | 36% | $265M | $14.5M |
| 16 | Panthers | $1.048B | 5% | 18% | $269M | $11.5M |
| 17 | Seahawks | $1.040B | 4% | 12% | $260M | $16.4M |
| 18 | Buccaneers | $1.033B | 5% | 17% | $258M | $44.1M |
| 19 | Titans | $1.011B | 5% | 12% | $262M | $38.8M |
| 20 | Chiefs | $1.008B | 2% | 13% | $259M | $46.4M |
| 21 | Browns | $987M | 1% | 15% | $258M | $28.7M |
| 22 | Vikings | $975M | 22% | 34% | $227M | $7.2M |
| 23 | Saints | $971M | 1% | 13% | $259M | $37.0M |
| 24 | Chargers | $936M | 2% | 13% | $246M | $22.5M |
| 25 | Cardinals | $922M | 2% | 16% | $246M | $20.5M |
| 26 | Bengals | $871M | 0% | 11% | $235M | $18.1M |
| 27 | Lions | $855M | 1% | 32% | $231M | -$4.6M |
| 28 | Falcons | $837M | 3% | 33% | $239M | $15.3M |
| 29 | Bills | $805M | 2% | 16% | $240M | $29.4M |
| 30 | Raiders | $785M | 3% | 16% | $226M | -$15.2M |
| 31 | Rams | $780M | 1% | 15% | $231M | $6.7M |
| 32 | Jaguars | $770M | 6% | 19% | $238M | $29.6M |
