The financial publication Forbes has released its list of valuations for Major League Soccer franchises, and while most of the top quarter of the list has just generally shuffled positions, D.C. United has risen dramatically. More on that in a second.
The Top 4 remain the same; the LA Galaxy take over the top spot from the Seattle Sounders, with a valuation of $315 million (up from $265). The Sounders increased from $285 million to $295 million. Toronto FC takes third over at a $280 million value (up from $245 million), supplanting New York City FC, who went from $255 million to $275 million in 4th place. The average valuation for a team is $223 million, up from $185 million in 2016.
D.C. United is valued at $230 million according to Forbes, good for 11th on the list, however they were valued at $155 million (11th on the list) in 2016, and just $71 million (18th) in 2013. Percentage wise they are up 48% from last year and more than 300% from 2013. With Audi Field becoming more tangible by the day, work on securing a site for training facilities appears to be in the works, and after last month’s New York Times Report which included an enterprise value of the club of $500 million, things would appear to be turning the Black-and-Red into the Black.
It should be said that Forbes holds no additional information on these numbers that we don’t know about, nor is there any sort of explanation on methodology. Like a lot of things re: MLS, you’ve just got to take it on faith I suppose.