Yankees ranked as most valuable franchise at $7.01 billion
General view outside Yankee Stadium on July 8, 2016. Credit: Getty Images/Michael Loccisano
The Yankees on Wednesday were ranked as the most valuable sports franchise in the world, with an estimated worth of $7.01 billion.
The ranking by the sports business website Sportico.com includes the Yankees’ 26% stake in the YES Network and 23% share of sports hospitality company Legends, which the Yankees formed with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in 2008.
Sportico ranked the Cowboys as the second most valuable franchise at $6.92 billion and had the Knicks as the most valuable NBA team at $6.12 billion.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, asked last month about the team’s payroll of about $245 million, said it was part of his job to be “financially responsible. I’ve got a lot of partners and banks and bondholders and things like that that I answer to. But at the same time, it’s always the goal to win a championship.”
Monty ready for Orioles
Jordan Montgomery said he’s been hit by comebackers so many times “I feel like I’m a pinata sometimes.”
But the lefthander said he’s OK to start against in Baltimore on Friday as the Yankees open a three-game series against the Orioles.
Montgomery was struck on the left leg by a ball and went down in pain in the first inning of his first start on Sunday, but stayed in to throw 3 1/3 innings.
Speaking of the O’s . . .
With four powerhouse teams in the AL East, whichever one wins the division will probably fatten up on the rebuilding Orioles. The Yankees went just 11-8 vs. Baltimore last season.
“We learned last year that if we don’t play well, they’re going to beat us,” Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to put our best foot forward no matter who we’re going against and not get caught up in the ‘we’ve got to win this many of the 19 [games]’. We’ve got to show up and play well each day.”
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
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