The sports teams have become a big business company. The overall value of a sports team and the revenue it can generate puts some large corporations to shame. The sports teams listed in this article are worth over a billion dollars and their earnings are counted in the hundreds of millions.

And it is the earning potential that dictates the overall value of the sports club. In addition to the income from the gate, the leading sports teams also make millions from the sale of goods. Another thing that has significantly improved sales in recent years is the sale of image and name rights. There is a sponsor for every aspect of the team. There’s a kit sponsor, a stadium sponsor, a sportswear partner, and even a dugout seat sponsor.

Without delay, let’s take a look at the most valuable sports teams of 2015 ranked by the renowned Forbes magazine.

1. Real Madrid

Value : $3.26 billion

1 year change : -5%

Owners : Club members

Real Madrid has conquered the first position in this list for the third consecutive year. And perhaps that could cheer club president Florentino Perez, who has helped club rivals Barcelona to a stunning treble with wins in the UEFA Champions League , Copa Del Rey and La Liga. He also failed to break through with Manchester United’s new signing goalkeeper David De Gea. Even the value of the club fell by five percent. That’s not all for the Spanish main club, however. They have a new manager at the helm with experience of winning trophies at the highest level. Both club fans and Perez were hoping Rafa Benitez would lead the expensively assembled squad to trophies next season. In Ronaldo they have one of the two best players in the world. There’s also about two months left before the transfer window closes. Maybe they’ll land their favorite transfer targets.

Meanwhile, the Real Madrid team is busy with the pre-season tour. Their last game at Melbourne’s MCG pitch had more than ninety thousand spectators. Their next stop is China, where they will play for the first time in four years.

2. Dallas Cowboys

Value : $3.2 billion

1-year change : 39%

Owner : Jerry Jones

Dallas Cowboys are the most valued in the National Football League (NFL) and the most valuable sports team in the United States. With revenues of $560 million, Cowboys is the highest-grossing NFL franchise. In 2013, they signed a 25-year name deal with AT&T Inc., an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate. The deal is said to be worth $500 million. The total revenue generated by sponsors alone is rumored to be in excess of $100 million. Their performance on the field also makes them one of the best NFL teams in history. They share the record for most Super Bowl appearances (8) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. They’ve won five of what binds themBoth are second to Pittsburgh’s record 6 Super Bowl championships with their NFC rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. They are also the only NFL team to win 20 straight seasons (1966–85) in which they only missed the playoffs twice (1974 and 1984). This is an NFL record that still stands. They finished last season as East League champions.

2. New York Yankees

Value : $3.2 billion

1-year change : 28%

Owners : The Steinbrenner family

The Yankees are one of the most successful sports clubs in the world. They’ve won 18 division titles, 40 AL pennants, and 27 world championships, all of which are MLB records. Additionally, 44 Yankees players and 11 Yankees managers were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame . And as far as fan base goes, they rank second to none in MLB. Over the years, they have been among the premier MLB contenders. Last year, they were the most supported team in MLB, averaging 42,520 viewers per game. In the field, however, their performance was less than ideal than the Bronx bombersmissed the postseason for the second straight 2014 season. With some of the highest-earning stars on their team, they’re expected to deliver big every season. With the likes of Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Masahiro Tanaka among your ranks, success is always around the corner. So it would be interesting to see where they end up in the new season.

4. Barcelona

Value : $3.16 billion

1 year change : -1%

Owners : Club members

Despite a slow start, the impressive Catalan side are proving all won. In January there were rumors that the club would not reach Real Madrid and go without cutlery for the second year in a row. There were also reports of incidents between coach Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi. By the end of May, however, they had won everything that was on offer. They helped Real Madrid to the title by two points, beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the Copa Del Rey final and then went on to beat Juventus in the UEFA Champions League finalFinal 2-0 to end a glorious treble. This was Barcelona’s second and fourth Champions League titles in a decade. Their Champions League earnings were $64 million, which combined with revenue from sponsorship and gate receipts, resulted in total revenue of over $650 million. Despite a transfer ban prohibiting the new players from joining the club until January, the club have already signed some great players. Attacking midfielder Arda Turan has joined Atlético Madrid, while right-back Aleix Vidal has signed from Sevilla. Rumor has it that midfield sensation Paul Pogba’s deal is in the pipeline.

5. Manchester United

Value : $3.1 billion

1 year change : 10%

Owners : Glazer family

However, Manchester United missed out.In European football, the club managed to add to its overall value last season. Under the leadership of Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward, the club has rapidly and consistently improved its commercial footprint and revenue. A testament to Woodward’s impressive work is the record-breaking, ten-year, $1.1 billion global sponsorship and licensing deal signed with Adidas. Coincidentally, the start of the deal coincides with United’s return to European football. The club also has a US$70 million per year shirt sponsorship deal with Chevrolet. The club generates millions in revenue from the sale of club items. The club management has already made preparations to take the legendary English club to the pinnacle of English and European football. Bastian Schweinsteiger has been brought in from Bavarian giants Bayern Munich and Morgan Schneiderlin has been signed by Southampton to reinforce the midfield with steel. Rumor has it that Nicolas Otamendi or Sergio Ramos would be signed to strengthen the defence.

6. Los Angeles Lakers

Value : $2.6 billion

1-year change : 93%

Owner : Jerry Buss Family Trusts, Philip Anschutz

The 2014 season was particularly awful for German Lakers fans. The Lakers lost 10 of their first 16 games early in their season. After 35 games, the team lost talisman Kobe Bryant for the remainder of the season when he suffered a rotator cuff tear in his shoulder. Another star, Nick Young, had to end his season with a broken kneecap. The team finished the season with 21 wins and 61 losses. In terms of stats, this was the worst season for the LA team. However, the team is still ranked as the most profitable team in the NBA. The NBA giants’ impressive earnings can be attributed in part to its whopping $4 billion and 20-year TV deal with Time Warner. Also their successes in the past and the multitude of star players, who have played for the team in the past have made the team extremely popular. And franchise management has used this popularity to maximize its earning potential by signing high-paying endorsement deals. And in Kobe Bryant, they have a star player who continues to add to the allure late in his career.

6. New England Patriots

Value : $2.6 billion

1-year change : 44%

Owner : Robert Kraft

Since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick in 2000, the Patriots have made their presence felt in the NFL. They have grown into one of the most successful teams and are currently linked with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboysas the teams with the most Super Bowl appearances overall (eight each) and have the most appearances in the past 25 years. They have won twelve AFC East titles in fourteen seasons since 2000 and have not lost a season. The Patriots, led by Tom Brady on the field, have taken center stage and become one of the most supported teams in the country. Last season, they won their fourth Super Bowl title of the Brady/Belichick era. Although the win was vilified by the Deflategate scandal, there is no doubt that they were the best team in the entire division. The immense success and popularity also helped them on the financial side. They have the highest ticket prices in the NFL and they still have no problem

8. New York Knicks

Value : $2.5 billion

1-year change : 79%

Inhaber: Madison Square Garden Co.

Like other NBA teams in this list, New York Knickshad an unforgettable last season. They lost 16 games in a row, setting the new franchise record. The overall season stats of just 17 wins and a shocking 65 losses is also the franchise’s worst record. Financially, however, they’ve had one of their best years in recent memory. The value of the franchise increased 79 percent from $1.4 billion to $2.5 billion. The team’s poor form also had no effect on the franchise’s revenues. The franchise earned nearly $300 million. The Knicks have the most expensive ticket in the NBA and luxury suits costing up to $1 million, meaning poor performance on the field can’t hurt the franchise’s earning power.

The franchise is currently in a rebuilding phase and in Phil Jackson they have a President who has a lot of experience winning championships and developing great teams. Don’t count them out yet.

9. Los Angeles Dodgers

Value : $2.4 billion

1 year change : 20%

Owner : Guggenheim Baseball Management

The Dodgers have a rich history. They have won six World Series titles and 21 National League pennants. The team has produced 12 consecutive Rookie of the Year honorees, including four from 1979-1982 and five from 1992-1996. The past few seasons have also been great for the LA team as they have won two consecutive titles in the Western Division. Additionally, they made more than $120 million in local television money last season, which is the highest in baseball. You’re dealing with $8.35 billion on Time Warner Cable . They also featured the most in MLB last season.

9. Washington Redskins

Value : $2.4 billion

1-year change : 41%

Owner : Daniel Snyder

Washington Redskins is one of the best supported sports franchises in the US. In fact, they’ve surpassed the NFL mark for attendance in a season for ten straight years. And once boasted a season ticket waiting list of more than 200,000 names. Also in terms of local success, Redskins is one of the most successful teams in the NFL. The Redskins have won five NFL championships (two pre-merger and three Super Bowls). They have also won 13 NFL division titles and six NFL Conference Championships. However, last season was disappointing for the fans as the team along with new head coach Jay Gruden struggled throughout the season. However, it was slightly better than the 2013 season with the disastrous 3-13 result. This was the worst record that the Redskins have maintained since 1994. For the past two seasons, the team record has been 7-25.