English Premiership
United top Forbes money list
2010-07-22 12:13
New York - English Premiership giant Manchester United is the most valuable franchise in sports, according to a study compiled by Forbes Magazine.
Forbes released its list of the world's most valuable teams on Wednesday, with Manchester on top at $1.84bn.
The second highest and top North American franchise is the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys at $1.65bn.
The New York Yankees, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, Real Madrid, New York Giants, Arsenal, New York Jets and Houston Texans round out the top 10.
Amid protests from fans, Manchester United's owning Glazer family has said it would not entertain offers to buy the club, which has around one billion dollars of debt.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods was ranked as the world's most valuable athlete.
Woods earned $105m in the year to June and claimed first place on the list even though his endorsement deals have decreased by $22m to $70m since his marital infidelity became public, according to US magazine Sports Illustrated.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather was the second biggest earner, with $65m, followed by the National Basketball Association’s Kobe Bryant, who had an income of $48m.
Bryant also caught up with Woods as the USA’s favourite sports star, according to the latest version of the Harris Interactive online survey. The golf player had been the sole holder of the post since 2006.