Manchester United tops Forbes magazine’s list of the most valuable soccer clubs for the sixth straight year with an estimated market value of $1.8 billion.
The 18-time English champion, controlled by the Florida- based Glazer family, is followed by record nine-time European Cup winner Real Madrid, with a value $1.3 billion. London-based Arsenal, the subject of takeover speculation, completes the top three with a $1.2 billion valuation.
Forbes determined the value using previous sales, broadcast agreements and debt from stadium construction. Real was ranked as soccer’s richest team by revenue in a review published by accountant Deloitte last month. United was third, behind European champion Barcelona.
The top five clubs claimed 86 percent of the $5.5 billion revenue of European soccer’s top 20 clubs for the 2008-09 season “because their worldwide following allows them to grab much more sponsorship and media revenue.
Due to Barcelona’s decision to sell broadcast rights individually, this team has become so wealthy that it doesn’t even need a shirt sponsor.
The top 25 clubs on the list are worth $597M on average, up 8% over the top 25 clubs for the previous season, and these clubs posted an average operating income of $42M for the '07-08 season, a 20% increase.
It was noted that one reason most top clubs have "continued to see revenue increases and post strong profits is that they have lucrative multi-year broadcasting and sponsorship deals that have not been affected by the recession." More than half of the 20 clubs with the highest revenue "signed current uniform sponsors within the last two years." La Liga club Valencia and EPL club West Ham United fell out of the top 25 this year.
Next, richest footballers according to Forbes, the highest ranked Red Devil was at number 8, Wayne Rooney and 17th came Rio Ferdinand.
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