NFL Outscores NBA, MLB, and NHL With a Massive $18.7 Billion Revenue in 2023

The NFL’s dominance in the sports world reached new heights last season, with the Chiefs clinching their third Lombardi Trophy in five years and pop icon Taylor Swift’s frequent appearances adding to the league’s star power. However, it’s the NFL’s financial performance that truly sets it apart from its competitors.

Sportico’s recent research on revenue generation among major sports leagues reveals a staggering gap between the NFL and the other leagues. The NFL topped the charts with an impressive $18.7 billion, leaving the NBA and MLB tied for second at $10.9 billion each. And the NHL followed at a distant $6.8 billion.

The NFL’s national revenue stands out as the key differentiator which accounted for $12.4 billion of its total revenue. In comparison, the NBA, MLB, and NHL struggled to match this figure and could only earn $4.5 billion, $2.8 billion, and $1.3 billion respectively in this category.

Interestingly enough, all leagues performed similarly in other revenue streams such as ticket sales, sponsorships, local media, and concessions. MLB even leads the NFL in two of the five deciding factors with $3.2 billion in seating revenue and $2.5 billion in local media revenue.

A significant factor in the NFL’s success is its approach to TV revenue distribution. Despite varying market sizes, each team receives an equal share, amounting to around $400 million from media and sponsorship deals. The league’s recent $125 billion renewal deal with major networks and streaming platforms has further solidified its financial position.

Even with a shorter season of just 10 home games, NFL teams generated over $3 billion from ticket and suite sales, which were about 17% of their revenue. Moreover, while other leagues fighting against regional sports network challenges, the NFL maintains its position at the top of the sports world, both in popularity and financial success.