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The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business that has dominated the North American sports landscape for decades. Whether it is through television deals, sponsorship money or fan attendance, the money for players and team owners has never been higher. In fact, there are three NFL franchises that sit inside the top 10 most valuable sports teams in the world.
With new TV money coming in from Amazon and the perennial spectacle of the Super Bowl, the value of NFL teams will only be going up. There is no better example of this than the news this week, as the Denver Broncos were bought for over 4 billion dollars.
Here's a closer look at the top 5 most valuable NFL franchises after this week's blockbuster acquisition.
#1 Dallas Cowboys
Franchise Value: 6.5 billion dollars
The Dallas Cowboys are 'America's team' and with that comes a certain cache that other sports franchises can only dream about. While onfield success has been inconsistent recently, the rich history of the franchise, combined with one of the most well-known owners in Jerry Jones, makes the Cowboys a business juggernaut.
Their home of AT&T stadium is the largest in the in the NFL and only adds to the value of the team. In fact, most insiders believe that if Jones were to ever sell the Cowboys, he'd be looking at close to 10 billion dollars.
#2 New England Patriots
Franchise Value: 5 billion dollars
Funny what happens when you become an on-field dynasty and have the greatest quarterback and head coach tandem. The New England Patriots weren't always the standard bearer for a well-run NFL organization, but as soon as the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era began, the value of the team skyrocketed.
A perennial contender in the NFL, Robert Kraft's Patriots have turned into a powerhouse.
3 - New York Giants
Franchise Value: 4.85 billion dollars
The New York Giants are a team hoping to capture some of its past glory with a new regime putting their own stamp on the franchise. From the Bill Parcells teams of the 1980's to Eli Manning's Super Bowl champions of 2008 and 2012, the Giants have been an NFL cornerstone for decades.
The Mara family's roots in the game go back to the league's inception and that stability has helped foster a financially successful franchise, even if the current on-field product is in transition.
4 - Los Angeles Rams
Franchise Value: 4.8 billion dollars
The defending Super Bowl champions have recently established themselves as the dominant West Coast franchise, and a move to Los Angeles has opened up new revenue opportunities for the team and their owner Stan Kroenke.
The Los Angeles Rams have a foothold in one of America's biggest markets, and even though they share a stadium with the Los Angeles Chargers, the Rams have firmly established themselves as the dominant team in California.
5 - Denver Broncos
Franchise Value: 4.65 billion dollars (per sale)
The new kids on the block on this list, the Denver Broncos are a team with a proud NFL legacy thanks to Hall of Fame quarterbacks John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Now, the hope of the new owners is that they can relive their former glory with Russell Wilson at quarterback. After a record-breaking amount of money, the pressure will be on the players, management and coaches to ensure the football being played at Mile High is worth the price tag.
