Bears among the most valuable NFL franchises
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The Chicago Bears may have won only one Super Bowl, but they are still one of the most valuable franchises in the NFL.
Why it matters: The value ranking from Sportico comes as the Bears are weighing whether to move out of Soldier Field.
- The city of Chicago offered to redevelop Soldier Field for $2.2 billion, which would include a dome and possibly naming rights. The Bears have repeatedly said they are currently only working on one stadium project, in Arlington Park.
Driving the news: The Bears are valued at $5 billion, No. 6 in the NFL.
- They rank well below the No. 1 Dallas Cowboys — America's Team — and the No. 2 Los Angeles Rams. Both have built new stadiums within the last 15 years.
Context: The Bears are one of the original NFL franchises, owned by Virginia McCaskey since her father, George Halas, passed away in 1983.
Zoom out: The team is worth the same as Barcelona, the world's second-most valuable soccer franchise, and the L.A. Dodgers, the second-most valuable MLB franchise.
Separately, the Bulls are valued at $3.65 billion, fourth in the NBA.
- The Cubs are worth $3.8 billion, No. 4 in MLB, and the Blackhawks are fourth in the NHL at $1.4 billion.
The bottom line: Aaron Rodgers and the Packers may own us on the field, but they lag behind in the pocketbook.
- Among the NFC North, the Packers are No. 14 in valuation and the Vikings are No. 18. The Lions are the second-lowest-valued franchise in the league.
What's next: The Bears play their first preseason game this Saturday.