46: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Owner: Malcolm Glazer
Value: US$685 million

An unprecedented and unique SportsPro report ranking the world’s 200 most valuable sports properties has identifed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the 46th most valuable sports property on the planet.

Malcolm Glazer bought Tampa's NFL franchise for US$192 million in 1995. Within seven years, he had turned a small-market team into Super Bowl winners.

The franchise has revenues of US$224 million, of which US$39.3 million is operating income. Player expenses come to US$128 million while gate receipts reached US$56 million during the 2008 season. The team had a total attendance of 516,088, equating to an average of 64,511 per game.

Glazer had the foresight to strike an incredible – and somewhat unpopular – deal with local authorities allowing him, under the terms of his lease of the Raymond James Stadium, to keep virtually all the money generated at the 65,908-capacity venue, which opened in 1998. The franchise thus garners the US$32.5 million financial services Raymond James pays for stadium naming rights as well as all advertising, ticket and hospitality revenue. In return, it pays the city only around US$4 million.

Glazer also owns English Premier League soccer side Manchester United.

12: New York Yankees
27: Liverpool FC
84: Chicago Bulls

The July/August issue of SportsPro magazine features an unprecedented report into the global sports industry, identifying and analysing the world’s 200 most valuable sports properties. For more information about SportsPro magazine, click here.