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The world's most valuable sports teams: Meet Forbes' top 10

Sports mean big business: The teams at the top of Forbes’ annual list of the most valuable sports franchises, released this week, are worth billions, and have ardent, global fan bases. This year’s top 10 is heavy with two kinds of football and features a new top squad. Can you guess which team, and which sport, nabbed the number one spot? 

10. Arsenal

Alastair Grant/AP/File
Arsenal's Santi Cazorla takes a shot at the goal against Wigan Athletic during an English Premier League soccer match in May. Arsenal is the tenth most valuable team on Forbes' 2013 list, and the first of four European soccer clubs.

Sport: Soccer

City:  London

Owner: Stan Kroenke

Value: $1.326 billion

American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke is the majority shareholder of Arsenal, and he also owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the MLS’ Colorado Rapids, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, and a majority stake in the NFL’s St. Louis Rams. Arsenal’s parent company operates as a “non-quoted limited public company” which trades infrequently on a specialist market at very high per share prices.

Arsenal’s place in UK culture is deeply rooted. Founded in 1886, it’s among the winningest football clubs of the 20th century. Arsenal participated in the first English League match ever broadcast on the radio, as well as the world’s first ever soccer match televised live.

Arsenal is the first of two English soccer clubs in the top 10, and four soccer clubs overall. Four American football teams and two baseball teams round out the list. Forbes calculated team values based on a variety of factors, including revenue, endorsements, and assets such as stadiums, land, and media deals. 

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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