They traded Smith, a future Hall of Famer, to Detroit in late July 2005. Face of the franchise: Liz Cambage (2011-13) "The way we are right now, this team, as it is right . Franchise journey: Part of the league's second expansion in 1999, along with Orlando, the Lynx qualified for the playoffs just twice in their first 12 seasons. If you look at the NFL, were getting $10.1 billion a year for television and the WNBA is getting $30 million a year. Playoff appearances (record): 16 (32-25) But forward/center Parker would be the No. However, she added: Once the WNBAtakes a more definitive approach (to expansion), were confident that there will be an ownership group that comes forward.. Other notable stars: Iziane Castro Marques, Erika de Souza, Armintie Harrington, Tiffany Hayes, Sancho Lyttle, Courtney Williams, Elizabeth Williams. High point: A franchise-best 29-5 regular-season record plus a 7-1 playoff mark in the Mercury's 2014 championship season. 1. A year later, the Sacramento Monarchs which had won a championship just four seasons earlier ceased operations after it failed to secure a relocation bid. Face of the franchise: Teresa Weatherspoon (1997-2003) If a team has a new arena, media deal or sponsorship agreement set to open or kick in after the 2020-21 season, we estimate its impact on the enterprise value. How Breanna Stewart's move impacts the Liberty, Storm and the WNBA, WNBA free agency and trade tracker: Latest deals and news, Sparks' Talbot to miss season with torn ACL, Source: Griner back with Mercury on 1-year deal, Taurasi, 40, signs multiyear deal with Mercury, ESPN's Rowe, Spears receive Curt Gowdy award, Happy birthdays to MJ: Jordan's not the only one sharing his birthday with big-name stars, Former Iowa, Storm center Edwards dies at 49, Jefferson leaves Lynx, signs contract with Mercury, WNBA's best 25 under 25: Ranking A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and all the young stars, WNBA Power Rankings: Connecticut Sun dethrone Las Vegas Aces, while Minnesota Lynx leapfrog over Seattle Storm. We recognize how important sport is to girls and women in Toronto and across Canada, and are eager to support organizations and initiatives which have the possibility to transform lives, MLSE said in a statement. Low point: This season is pretty bleak: Hoped-for star Chennedy Carter is indefinitely suspended, the Dream have lost 10 in a row and they're about to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. The oldest player is 28-year-old Thornton. Considering they've already reached the Finals and had an MVP, the building blocks to long-term success are in place. The Sparks were originally based in San Francisco but moved to Los Angeles in 2005. Face of the franchise: A'ja Wilson (2018-present) Still, Philadelphia holds lots of appeal. Then Connecticut fired Thibault after the 2012 season, and the Mystics finally had a long-term coach. Headquarters for Adidas and Under Armour are in Portland, and Nike is headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., which is just eight miles west of Portland. Secondly, in order to get the players more money, we obviously need more revenue. This makes them the most valuable franchise in all of sports. MVPs: None They got four Hall of Fame players in Cooper, Swoopes, Thompson and Arcain, an experienced, successful coach from the college game in Van Chancellor, committed ownership (at least initially) from the Houston Rockets' Leslie Alexander and an energetic fan base. The Knicks have many assets, including World Class Talent, a passionate fan base, and their home arena, Madison Square Garden. Regular-season record: 59-145 But with an abundance of talent, increased womens basketball television viewership and college players rising notoriety with new Name, Image, Likeness legislation, expansion is finally again on the horizon. One of the most storied franchises in WNBA history, the Liberty began play as one of the WNBA's eight original teams and took part in the league's inaugural game, defeating the Los Angeles . WNBA career stats leaders: Margo Dydek in blocks (877) and block percentage (8.99); Jennifer Azzi in 3-point field goal percentage (45.8) When not at the game you will find Austin on Twitter live tweeting his excitement for whatever team hes rooting for. Boston Celtics: $3.2 . Signing free agents such as McCoughtry in 2020 (although she is out this season with a knee injury) and Gray this year were big moves, as was obtaining Cambage via trade in 2019. Revenue and operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) are for the 2020-21 season and are net of revenue sharing and arena debt service. Catchings was a 10-time All-Star and five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, as iconic to the Fever as Bird and Taurasi have been to Seattle and Phoenix. The Warriors' revenue comes primarily from ticket sales ($153 million) and corporate partnerships ($100 million). The average salary this season for a WNBA player is $120,648. Five franchises will pay their top earner less than $200,000 for the upcoming campaign. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. It has a rabid basketball fan base, with love for not only the 76ers but five local college teams. Best players: Diamond DeShields, Candace Parker, Allie Quigley, Courtney Vandersloot. The next two seasons, Washington went 11-57. So which WNBA franchise is the best in league history? Serena Williams and Brittney Griner were each honored at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, when Williams won the Jackie Robinson Sports Award and . Los Angeles Clippers. After two seasons playing in White Plains, New York, and last year in the bubble in Bradenton, Florida, the Liberty are now at Barclays Center full time. 1 draft pick for Los Angeles the next year. Ogwumike opened her appearance by calling Sykes a WNBA real one and gifting Sykes an Ogwumike jersey. Knicks of New York Forbes released a list of the most valuable sports franchises on Friday, with the New York Knicks ranking first in the NBA. Expansion could allow the league to increase its schedule the WNBA is already playing a record 36 games this season and to offer broadcast partners a larger content package, or give it more inventory to split among interested buyers. "I wish we . The New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces and Atlanta Dream have all been sold in recent years, but the sales prices for all three franchises are in that range. Low point: There are so many options. In 2003, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority paid $10 million as an expansion fee for the Connecticut Sun, according to an SEC filing. The average price of a ticket is just over $100. Franchise journey: The Miracle were part of the Orlando Magic organization and had some real talent in their short stay in Florida. They then obtained center Fowles via trade during the 2015 season. Apr 11, 2022 at 7:36 pm ET 10 min read. The Wings had the top two picks in this year's admittedly weak draft. The Yankees and Knicks have the same owner: James Dolan. But they also endured tragedy during that run, when guard Perrot died of cancer during the 1999 season. The NBA, however, turns a profit of roughly $2.1B per year, which is what allows them to payout 50% of the league revenue to players. If and when we do it, which we are interested in doing, we want to do it right. But there was always a fascination league-wide with Dydek, the tallest woman to play in the WNBA at 7-foot-2. MVPs: None 10. Powers, who won a title with the Washington Mystics in 2019, recently signed a new contract to join the Minnesota Lynx. Many WNBA stars work in other countries during the WNBA's off-season because doing so is more lucrative than playing in the U.S. Griner is reportedly earning more than $1 million to play for her . Nike, of course, has serious ties to the league. It averaged 75,000 viewers per regular season game in 2017, according to Nielsen, but that more than doubled to 162,000 viewers per nationally televised game last season. Sources say Sykes, who lives in Pennsylvania part-time, is a part of a group with interest in bringing an expansion team to Philadelphia. Every team in the league is worth at least $1.5 billion, per Forbes' estimates. Championships: None The 31-year-old female professional basketball player was in 2014 named the ambassador for Special Olympics.. On top of that, Ellena has won two WNBA Most Valuable Player Awards (2015 and 2019) and became the first WNBA player to join the 50-40-90 club.She has not played much professionally overseas, only taking part in the regular basketball season in the U.S. High point: Despite going 15-19 in the 2014 regular season, the Sky got hot at the right time, beating Atlanta and Indiana to reach the WNBA Finals. Regular-season record: 87-99 Face of the franchise: Taj McWilliams-Franklin (1999-2002) Franchise journey: They made four playoff appearances in their seven seasons, but the Rockers were gone before they really had a chance to make an impact. In 2016, Verizon became the primary sponsor of the WNBA Finals. Here is what every team in the NBA is worth in 2021, according to Sportico: Nick Monroe/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports, Carmen Mandato/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports, Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Glory Johnson is a professional basketball player. Following the funding, the valuation of the WNBA and its teams . Engelbert, however, said she does not believe those precedents are in play for franchise valuations going forward. With the team winning their first NBA title in the 2018-19 season, which also saw the Raptors host all 12 playoff games, the Raptors saw their financial strength rise by a whopping 25% this . Force 10 has never wavered in its commitment to the WNBA and the Seattle community. To date, the Monarchs are the last WNBA franchise to fold. The NBA has revenues of $8.3B/year, while the WNBA only generates $60M (as we said . MVPs: None loomis wedding venues. "With merchandise revenue at 29 cents and season ticket sales topping a dollar for the first time in history, the Minnesota Lynx are a financial powerhouse in the WNBA," wrote Forbes editor Mark Furlow, who also . MVPs: Elena Delle Donne (2019) Bridgestone Arena could be a location for a WNBA expansion team. The Dream made their eight playoff appearances in a 10-season stretch from 2009-2018, and they were a victory away from the 2018 WNBA Finals. Plus, help in the form of two consecutive No. In the last decade, womens college basketball has become one of the most popular sports in the state with Oregon and Oregon State ranking among the top 25 nationally in attendance per game from 2017 to 2020. Based out of Milwaukee, the Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. While the 76ers play in the Wells Fargo Center, they do not own it and have a lease that runs through 2031. Philip Anschutz sold his 27% stake in the Lakers in July at a $5 billion valuation, with an implied controlling stake valuation of around $5.5 billion; Forbes valued the team at $4.6 billion in February. The main ranking criteria are success and standout players, although franchise longevity played a factor, too. League sources believe Philadelphia has potential as an eventual expansion city, but it would likely mean the involvement of the 76ers both financially and in terms of an arena. Los Angeles Lakers: $4.6 billion. MVPs: Breanna Stewart (2018), Lauren Jackson (2003, 2007, 2010) We have some sort of a fan perspective, sponsorship perspective, social movement perspective, everyones locked in on sort of the value of womens sports.. Even if your . That union provided the Sky with their best record (24-10) in 2013 when Delle Donne was Rookie of the Year, and the next season the Sky reached the WNBA Finals, where they were swept by Phoenix. Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active WNBA players. Regular-season record: 383-341 Face of the franchise: Lisa Leslie (1997-2009) Franchise journey: An original WNBA franchise, the Sting were first owned by the Charlotte Hornets and made the playoffs six of their first seven seasons. Even a comparison over a 2019 which we might call a more normal year but we were a different league back then than we are now.. The ABL didnt last very long just two seasons but it was the first sign of Lacobs interest in putting his money behind a womens basketball league. Then Fowles, after seven seasons with the Sky, sat out the start of the 2015 season until she was traded to Minnesota, where she has won two titles. The Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut, which had an arena at the Mohegan Sun Casino and wanted to capitalize on the popularity of women's basketball in the state thanks to UConn, bought the Miracle. In 2011, 22 of the 30 teams were losing money, and the average operating income per team sat at $6 million. It was named one of the WNBAs inaugural Gamechangers (an investor program launched by Engelbertin 2020), was an investor in the recent capital raise and owns equity in the league. While the franchise ultimately ended up in other hands (and, according to Abrahams, went for a lower price in order for that franchise to stay in market), it got Toronto in the game early in terms of expansion talks with the league. Said Abrahams: They know weve done our financial model, they know whos involved with our group. 2002 Fleer Authentix WNBA Sue Bird RC #101 /2002. He also finished first or second in the MVP voting on eight other occasions. The base salary for WNBA rookies varies on when (or if) players were selected in the WNBA Draft. The WNBA was founded with only eight teams. Three have been with single-digit victory totals, and they're closing in on the fourth. That's when Sparks LA Sports, which included Laker legend Magic Johnson, stepped in to buy the team. The best player in franchise history, Australia's Penny Taylor, was there for just three seasons before being taken in the dispersal draft by Phoenix, where she played 10 seasons and won three WNBA titles. Bonner, Delle Donne and Diggins-Smith all . This is a BETA experience. Cooper's career ended after Houston's fourth consecutive title in 2000 (she returned at age 40 to play four more games in 2003), and that was when other teams in the league caught up. The WNBA has whittled its list to 10 to 12 cities, Engelbert said, after it began with 100 possible locations for its new franchises. And so, Im not using them at all. Regular-season record: 60-68 Tsai, who is worth $8.7 billion according to Forbes, bought the team and moved it to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. but the NHL's Washington Capitals, two arena football teams, a WNBA team and Capital One Arena. . Originally part of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics organization, the Storm franchise was bought by a Seattle-based, all-women ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, in 2008 to keep the WNBA team in place when the NBA team moved to Oklahoma. He is known for being one of the founders of Microsoft and also owns the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. The organization did not respond to a request for comment from Forbes. 1,$5.8 billion), the Golden State Warriors (No. The WNBA is presently anticipated to earn $60 million in income, with $12.3 million of that money given to its players. In mid-January 2022, CAA Icon presented the Sports Authority Board with a report that found solid interest in the initiative. We really want to set up new owners for success., Engelbert estimates an 18- to 24-month timeline from the identification of a new team to its inaugural season. Other notable stars: Katie Douglas, Shannon Johnson, Elaine Powell, Nykesha Sales. Along with its three titles, Los Angeles has two other trips to the WNBA Finals, falling to Detroit in 2003 and Minnesota in 2017, and has played in every postseason since 2011. That revenue from the media contracts would do that.. League sources said the Liberty were sold with little new money changing hands and new owner Joe Tsai financing the transaction mostly by taking on debt, as well as stipulating fresh capital for MSG Sports if the Liberty hit certain revenue thresholds. Playoff appearances (record): Two (0-2) Here are the 10 richest owners in the NBA. Among the new owners is former Dream star Renee Montgomery, who retired to fight for social justice. In addition to the $12.3 million that the players receive, another $18 million comes from corporate sponsors. After the WNBA allowed teams to sell jersey advertising, the Phoenix Mercury in 2009 became the first franchise to land a deal with LifeLock that put the company logo across the front of the team's jerseys. We have the eyeballs locked in. But, fast forward to 2020, and every team in the league was profitable, with average operating income surging to $62 million. The deal helped spur other WNBA teams to land similar jersey deals while helping drive local revenue. The recent capital raise was heralded by Engelbert as a boon. It is just a timing process though. But Pistons/Shock owner Bill Davidson died in March 2009 and Laimbeer left for an NBA assistant's job shortly after. Ticket sales account for $50 million, or more than 83 percent of the WNBA's overall revenue. High point: Avenging a 2016 WNBA Finals loss to the Los Angeles Sparks by winning the 2017 Finals, also against L.A. Face of the franchise: Sue Bird (2002-present) Championships: None The league knows everything about what this is going to look like (regarding) Toronto.. The global financial crisis of 2007-08 took a toll on the WNBA, which lost Charlotte in January 2007, Houston in December 2008 and Sacramento in December 2009. MINNEAPOLISAccording to a report by Forbes magazine, the Minnesota Lynx are easily the WNBA's richest franchise, boasting an estimated enterprise value of nearly four dollars. High point: Making the playoffs in their final season in Tulsa, 2015, before getting swept by Phoenix. Here Are The Top-10 Most Valuable NBA Teams In 2020. But when she has been on the court, it has made all the difference for the Mystics. They've also had one of the most involved fan bases in the X Factor, which fell in love with the likes of Jennifer Gillom, Bridget Pettis and Australia's Michele Timms in the early years. which wnba team is worth the most Forbes compiles the finances of all 30 NBA teams to produce an annual ranking of the best franchises in terms of valuation.The valuations are composed of the monetary worth of the sport, market, stadium deals, and brand. MVPs: None For example, if a game draws low ratings, then no money will be made on that game. These areas are supported by applying financial metrics such as debt and operating income to each one.. By far. The league called it "the largest-ever capital raise for a women's sports property." . The highest-paid NBA players, by comparison, make in excess of $40 . The franchise, led by its ownership group, considered buying a WNBA team twice in recent years, sources said. The Knicks receive most of their revenue from selling tickets ($97 million) and some amount from basketball licensing ($25 million). Franchise journey: The Utah Starzz were an original WNBA franchise in 1997, but the Utah Jazz were not a very engaged owner and the team moved to San Antonio to become part of the Spurs organization in 2003. Transactions occur in a black box, unlike most other professional leagues, in which teams are sold and their prices are eventually leaked or announced. That brought young post players Charli Collier, 21, and Awak Kuier, 20, who could blossom. Playoff appearances (record): Nine (24-19) 2,$5.6 billion) and the Los Angeles Lakers (No. The franchise took momentum with them to Texas, having had winning records in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and making the playoffs in their last two seasons in Utah. Golden State Warriors: $4.7 billion. The buyers, Mark Walter and Todd Boehley, have a path to eventually buying out controlling owner Jerry Buss Family Estate at some point in the future. Face of the franchise: Seimone Augustus (2006-2019) 1 pick in the NBA draft. Signing Chicago native Candace Parker as a free agent for this season was part of the Sky pushing their chips toward the middle of the table while she and the VanderQuigs are still in a championship window. That season, the Sparks had their fewest wins in franchise history, going 10-24. Low point: Becoming the first of the original eight WNBA teams to fold, after the 2003 season. The Forbes estimate does not include sales or sponsorship revenue which both teams enjoy, but instead focuses on the actual value of the Knicks' ownership interest. High point: Reaching the 2013 WNBA Finals -- for the third time in four years -- despite a .500 regular-season record. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. High point: Making the WNBA Finals in 2020 in the team's third season in Las Vegas. With the 2021 WNBA season tipping off Friday, we took a look at the league's highest-paid players. It has been nearly 15 years since the WNBA last expanded, adding the Atlanta Dream as its then-14th team before the 2008 season. Under this method, the value of any company is determined by evaluating its assets - in this case, the Knicks - along with its liabilities and equity. According to Forbes, the NBA's total revenue in 2010-11 was $3.96 billion. Record last year: 12-10 (6th out of 12 teams) Team goal: Win the . Face of the franchise: Margo Dydek (1998-2002) The Milwaukee Bucks are the next richest basketball team in the NBA. Welcome to the Farm! Championships: None During the 2021 season, the Portland Thorns led the NWSL in attendance with more than 14,000 fans per game more than double the next closest team and through the early parts of the 2022 season, the club has averaged more than 13,000 fans per game, second only to expansion team Angel City FC (Los Angeles), which has a population more than six times Portlands. Get Forbes daily top headlines delivered straight to your inboxfor news on the worlds most important entrepreneurs and superstars, expert career advice and success secrets. The capital raise valued the league at $475 million, according to multiple sources, and the WNBA gave away roughly 16 percent equity in itself to investors as a result of that process. Beard was a four-time WNBAAll-Star and won a championship in 2016 with the Los Angeles Sparks. Regular-season record: 340-444 Other notable stars: Rebekkah Brunson, Napheesa Collier, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Katie Smith, Lindsay Whalen. The three highest earners in the WNBA, including Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury, each received an average of 228.09 thousand U.S. dollars for their . Explained How The NBA Owns WNBA Teams And Who Are The New Team Owners. Mike Alter - $1.2 Billion. Other notable stars: Janeth Arcain, Kim Perrot, Michelle Snow, Tina Thompson. Franchise journey: The Fever debuted in the third wave of expansion in 2000 along with Seattle, as well as Miami and Portland, both of which were soon defunct. The Lynx stewed for a year after a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Sparks on Nneka Ogwumike's putback in the 2016 WNBA Finals. Two years later, Michael Alter reportedly paid $10 million for an expansion team in Chicago. The Warriors opened the Chase Center in 2019, a self-funded arena in San Franciscos Mission Bay area which could host a WNBA season if they bring in a team. Even though she was 34 when the league started, Cooper was still playing at an elite level after more than a decade of stardom overseas, and was crucial to getting the WNBA off the ground. 1 pick. 1 draft picks in 2017 (Plum), 2018 (Wilson) and 2019 (Young). 1 pick in the 1998 draft, she was a fan favorite in five seasons in Utah and the rest of her career in San Antonio, Connecticut and Los Angeles. Face of the franchise: Jackie Stiles (2001-02) There has been a critical error on this website. She wanted to get back into the WNBA, but she had a different goal on her whiteboard: team ownership. Arctos Sports Partners nabbed a 17% stake in the Sacramento Kings at a $1.84 billion valuation last month,just above our February estimate of $1.825 billion. Regular-season record: 241-149 The Mystics, who came into the WNBA with Detroit in the first wave of expansion in 1998, had 12 coaches in their first 15 seasons, changing leadership during a season four different times. Just as he cited the old American Football League in explaining why he chose to make Becky Hammon the leagues first million-dollar salaried coach, he used it to explain the need for more revenue. Franchise journey: Madison Square Garden was a pretty special place with a likable and successful Liberty team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. So much has changed to the positive, to the momentum around womens sports. Both were in existence for just three seasons before folding. Championships: Four (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) Engelbert said adding two teams would be ideal, but one additional team would still be considered a success. Tulsa finally had a winning record at 18-16 and made its lone playoff appearance in 2015. In 1998, there were only two teams who were making money: the Houston Comets and the Charlotte Hornets. And for the upcoming 2021 season, ESPN has split the difference, dropping to 25 games. 1 picks and drafted superstars with all four picks: Jackson (2001), Bird (2002), Loyd (2015) and Stewart (2016). Nashville Municipal Auditorium seats only 8,000, but it currently only hosts home events for the Nashville Roller Girls on a monthly basis so scheduling would be easier than at Bridgestone. Theres no crisp or clear formula, but you see cities that rise to the top pretty quickly, Engelbert said. Laksa plays in the forward position and was originally . She plays power forward in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Owners: Jerry Buss Family Trusts, Mark Walter, Todd Boehly, Owners: Wycliffe Grousbeck, Irving Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca, Robert Epstein, Owners: Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, Larry Tanenbaum, Owners: Holt family, Sixth Street Partners, Owners: Wes Edens, Marc Lasry, Jamie Dinan, Owners: Clayton Bennett, George Kaiser, Aubrey McClendon estate, Owners: Glen Taylor, Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez. She joined Penicheiro, the team's No. And if we can do that, were gonna get a great next round of media deals.. Low point: Losing the 2012 Eastern finals to Indiana, after which coach Mike Thibault was fired and went to Washington. The team's 2019 championship run definitely gave the team the edge in the rising value, seeing their value grow more than 400% since 2012 when the team's estimated worth was $400 million. Jerry Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls: $1.5 Billion . Maybe the magic of the franchise's early years can be recaptured, along with its first championship. Though Oakland is the 45th-biggest American city by population, its larger than two current WNBAmarkets (Minneapolis and Uncasville, Conn.), and the Bay Area comprising San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose is the nations sixth-largest media market. But Davis has been very involved, so the change seems positive for the future. Those new teams could begin to play as early as the 2024 season, she said. The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets were next with values of about $1 billion each. Toronto Raptors - $2.1 Billion. He's been known to watch games in the rain, snow, sleet, hail or shine! The brand lasted a . The average NBA team is worth $1.9 billion, up 13% over last year and three times the level of five years ago. Other notable stars: Allisha Gray, Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Isabelle Harrison, Glory Johnson, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Kayla Thornton. Franchise journey: The Sol are one of the two "if you blinked, you missed them" franchises in the WNBA, along with Portland. Engelberts valuations, and the math to get there, give the WNBAs first public declaration of how much its teams are worth, or perceived to be worth, over the last few years. Behind LAFC comes Atlanta United ($845 million) and LA Galaxy ($835 million). DiscoLives4ever 6 yr. ago. Championships: None However, in nearly two decades since, a lot has changed as Oregon has become a burgeoning mecca for womens sports supporters. Franchise journey: The Mercury seem to have had the most ownership stability of any WNBA franchise. But after four seasons, Johnson was ready to move on from the WNBA. And Carter's future seems uncertain. Via ESPN. While the WNBA only pays out 20% of its revenue, it doesn't actually turn a profit. Low point: The sale of the franchise to Tulsa, which was a re-set with new ownership, new staff and none of the stars from Detroit. The report estimated the franchise's value at $2 billion, making it the most expensive team in the league. One person familiar with running a WNBA team and how its finances work said that breaking even is usually the goal for a franchise. MLS averaged 277,000 viewers for its 2021 regular season games and 1.14 million viewers for its single, winner-take-all championship game.