The Los Angeles Lakers have long been recognized as one of the most popular teams in the NBA thanks to its bevy of legendary players, off-court personalities, and most of all its 16 championships.
So it should come as no surprise that despite the struggles in recent years, the Lakers were still recognized as one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world at $2.7 billion according to Forbes.com’s annual rankings.
After coming in at No. 6 in last year’s rankings, the Lakers dropped to No. 10 after suffering their worst season in franchise history. However, the Lakers were still ranked as the second-most valuable franchise in the NBA, behind the New York Knicks.
It seems the lack of success still has yet to affect franchises in the big market areas such as Los Angeles or New York, according to Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times.
“The Lakers reportedly have $304 million in annual revenue and an operating income of $133.4 million – the latter is highest in the league ahead of the Knicks’ $108.9 million. New York has slightly higher revenue at $307 million a year.”
Although they are still the league’s most profitable franchise thanks to its massive 20-year, $3.6 billion deal with Time Warner Cable, they could be seeing a slight decrease in numbers now that Kobe Bryant is officially retired. His international prowess helped bridge the Lakers with fans from all over the world.
However, that can change now that things are finally beginning to look up for the purple and gold. Armed with a young core loaded with talent, the Lakers could see themselves back on top in a few years.
