With the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season and training camps approaching, it’s time to discuss the league’s earnings from last season. While the league itself refrains from publicly disclosing such information, there’s a workaround: the Green Bay Packers, the only publicly-owned, non-profit corporation, are required to disclose their revenue to the shareholders.
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According to recent reports, the Green and Gold raked in $402.3 million in national revenue from the NFL. Given that the league equally distributes its earnings among its 32 teams, the total revenue for 2024 equates to a whopping $12.87 billion.
According to AP News, the Packers have made $60.1 million in profit, which is apparently $8.5 million less than what they made in 2023. However, the 31 other teams saw their revenue grow by 7.5%.
Additionally, this is the first year in league history that total earnings have surpassed $12 billion after surpassing the $10 billion mark last year. Several factors arguably contributed to this surge. For instance, NBC Universal paid a $110 million fee to the league for exclusive rights to the playoff bout between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dolphins.
However, that’s only scratching the surface. The NFL currently has several broadcast packages running through 2033, which could end four years early but still bring in a huge chunk of profit. And then there’s Taylor Swift!
When the 14-time Grammy winner was spotted at Arrowhead last year, the league saw a 53 percent increase in viewership among teenage girls. It also resulted in a 20% increase in sponsorships. There was a surge in merchandise sales as well, with Taylor’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, seeing a 400% boost in his merch sales.
Super Bowl ads also saw an uptick, with all slots selling out by November. Notably, CBS made about $500 million by selling those 30-second ad slots for up to $7 million each. So, what about other sports leagues, and how do they fare against the NFL?
NFL Remains ‘Unrivaled’ When It Comes to ‘Money Printing’
America’s Team hasn’t just been at the top with its net worth over the past three decades but has also been printing money more than any other sports team in the past three years. The Jerry Jones-owned franchise has made an operating income of $1.25 billion since 2021, while the highest-paid soccer team on the list, Manchester City, generated $478 million.
The gap between the two teams is quite visible. That said, right under the Dallas Cowboys stand the New England Patriots, who have earned $579 million in the past three years, as reported by Forbes.
That said, when considering NBA teams, the New York Knicks rank sixth with a revenue of $395 million, which is two spots lower than the previous year. Arguably, these numbers are expected to grow in the coming years, based on current trends.