The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the most valuable franchises in the National Football League (NFL). As of 2022, the Chiefs are valued at around $3.7 billion, making them the 13th most valuable NFL team.
What factors contribute to the Chiefs’ value?
There are several key factors that determine an NFL team’s worth:
- Market size – Teams in larger media markets tend to be more valuable. The Chiefs play in one of the smaller NFL markets (Kansas City), which limits their value compared to teams in massive markets like New York or Los Angeles.
- On-field success – Winning teams tend to be more popular and generate more revenue. Under head coach Andy Reid, the Chiefs have enjoyed significant success since 2013, including a Super Bowl title in 2019.
- Stadium economics – Teams that own and control their stadiums, like the Chiefs do with Arrowhead Stadium, have much higher valuations. Stadium ownership allows teams to capture revenues like concessions, parking, naming rights, etc.
- Brand value – Popular and recognizable brands with rich histories tend to be worth more. The Chiefs are one of the NFL’s legacy franchises, dating back to 1960.
While Kansas City is a smaller market, the Chiefs’ on-field success, stadium economics, and strong brand have made them one of the NFL’s more valuable teams.
How much are other NFL teams worth?
Here are the estimated values of all 32 NFL teams for 2022, according to Forbes:
| Rank | Team | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | $8 billion |
| 2 | New England Patriots | $6.4 billion |
| 3 | Los Angeles Rams | $6.2 billion |
| 4 | New York Giants | $6 billion |
| 5 | Washington Commanders | $5.6 billion |
| 6 | San Francisco 49ers | $5.2 billion |
| 7 | Los Angeles Chargers | $4.8 billion |
| 8 | New York Jets | $4.8 billion |
| 9 | Chicago Bears | $4.3 billion |
| 10 | Houston Texans | $4.2 billion |
| 11 | Philadelphia Eagles | $4.1 billion |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | $4 billion |
| 13 | Kansas City Chiefs | $3.7 billion |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | $3.5 billion |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | $3.4 billion |
| 16 | Seattle Seahawks | $3.35 billion |
| 17 | Green Bay Packers | $3.3 billion |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | $3.2 billion |
| 19 | Cleveland Browns | $3 billion |
| 20 | Indianapolis Colts | $2.95 billion |
| 21 | Atlanta Falcons | $2.9 billion |
| 22 | Tennessee Titans | $2.875 billion |
| 23 | Las Vegas Raiders | $2.8 billion |
| 24 | Miami Dolphins | $2.8 billion |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | $2.765 billion |
| 26 | Arizona Cardinals | $2.6 billion |
| 27 | San Diego Chargers | $2.6 billion |
| 28 | New Orleans Saints | $2.525 billion |
| 29 | Detroit Lions | $2.5 billion |
| 30 | Jacksonville Jaguars | $2.45 billion |
| 31 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | $2.2 billion |
| 32 | Buffalo Bills | $2.05 billion |
The Chiefs rank 13th at $3.7 billion. For comparison, the average NFL team is now worth approximately $3.5 billion. However, there is a huge range from the Cowboys at $8 billion down to the Bills at just over $2 billion.
How much are the Chiefs worth compared to other sports franchises?
While NFL teams dominate the landscape of U.S. pro sports valuations, the Chiefs are still worth far less than the most valuable teams in other leagues:
- New York Yankees (MLB): $7 billion
- New York Knicks (NBA): $6 billion
- New York Rangers (NHL): $2 billion
- New England Revolution (MLS): $550 million
The Yankees and Knicks are the standouts, showing the immense value of pro sports teams in the New York market. Both are worth nearly double the Chiefs despite playing in leagues with less lucrative media deals and fewer total games.
How much are the Chiefs worth compared to other NFL teams historically?
The Chiefs’ value has skyrocketed in recent years alongside the growth in NFL revenue and valuations league-wide:
- 2018: $2.1 billion (ranked 28th in NFL)
- 2019: $2.3 billion (25th)
- 2020: $2.5 billion (23rd)
- 2021: $2.93 billion (17th)
- 2022: $3.7 billion (13th)
In just five years, the Chiefs’ value has increased by over 75%. For context, the Dallas Cowboys were worth $1.65 billion in 2018 versus $8 billion in 2022 – their value has nearly quintupled in that span.
The Chiefs have clearly been one of the greatest beneficiaries of the NFL’s continued explosion in popularity and revenue. Their on-field success under Andy Reid has also boosted their brand value significantly.
How do NFL team values compare over the past decade?
Here is how the average NFL team value has increased over the past 10 years, according to Forbes:
| Year | Average Team Value |
|---|---|
| 2012 | $1.34 billion |
| 2013 | $1.17 billion |
| 2014 | $1.43 billion |
| 2015 | $1.97 billion |
| 2016 | $2.34 billion |
| 2017 | $2.5 billion |
| 2018 | $2.57 billion |
| 2019 | $2.86 billion |
| 2020 | $3.05 billion |
| 2021 | $3.48 billion |
| 2022 | $3.5 billion |
NFL team values have increased by 161% over the past decade. The massive uptick in media rights deals (both traditional TV and digital streaming) has been the biggest driver of the growth.
What is the revenue breakdown for the Chiefs?
The Chiefs bring in revenue from several key streams:
- Media rights – This includes traditional TV deals with CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN/ABC, as well as digital streaming contracts with Amazon Prime. Media revenue accounts for about 1/3 of total revenue.
- Ticketing – Ticket sales at Arrowhead Stadium. Ticket revenue is more significant for teams like the Chiefs that do not play in massive NFL markets.
- Premium seating – Revenue from luxury suites and premium seating options at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have almost 200 luxury suites.
- Sponsorships – Companies paying to sponsor the Chiefs and/or Arrowhead Stadium. Includes jersey sponsorships and naming rights partners.
- Merchandise sales – Sales of team merchandise and apparel, which are split evenly among all 32 NFL teams.
The Chiefs’ steady success on the field under Andy Reid has boosted their revenue from areas like ticketing and sponsorships. Their revenue totals still lag behind the massive-market teams like the Cowboys, but the Chiefs earn more than small-market peers like the Bills and Bengals.
How much revenue do the Chiefs generate annually?
According to Forbes, here are the Chiefs’ total annual revenues over the past three years:
| Year | Total Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $401 million |
| 2021 | $453 million |
| 2022 | $497 million |
The Chiefs generate around half a billion dollars in revenue annually as of 2022. Their revenue has seen excellent growth recently thanks to their on-field success and the corresponding fan interest.
How do the Chiefs’ revenues compare to other NFL teams?
The Chiefs rank 19th in total revenue among the 32 NFL teams. Here are the top 10 teams by annual revenue, according to Forbes:
- Dallas Cowboys: $1.1 billion
- New England Patriots: $600 million
- New York Giants: $569 million
- Los Angeles Rams: $568 million
- San Francisco 49ers: $549 million
- New York Jets: $531 million
- Philadelphia Eagles: $518 million
- Denver Broncos: $465 million
- Houston Texans: $461 million
- Seattle Seahawks: $459 million
The Chiefs earn reasonable revenues for their market size, but they lag far behind behemoths like the Cowboys, who earn over double in annual revenue.
How much are the Chiefs worth compared to other KC sports franchises?
Here is how the Chiefs’ $3.7 billion valuation compares to other major Kansas City pro sports teams:
- Kansas City Royals (MLB): $1.25 billion
- Sporting Kansas City (MLS): $550 million
The Chiefs are worth nearly triple the Royals and over 6x Sporting KC. The significant discrepancy shows both the NFL’s financial dominance compared to other leagues and the Chiefs’ equity as one of the NFL’s flagship brands.
Conclusion
The Kansas City Chiefs are currently worth around $3.7 billion, ranking 13th among the 32 NFL teams. Their value has skyrocketed alongside the NFL’s growth, more than doubling over just the past five years.
While they do not have the market size of teams like the Cowboys and Patriots, the Chiefs earn respectable revenues buoyed by their strong on-field performance and popularity. They are significantly more valuable than Kansas City’s other major pro sports franchises.
Given the NFL’s continued ratings and revenue dominance, the Chiefs’ franchise value should keep rising steadily in the years ahead. Their on-field success under Andy Reid has made them one of the NFL’s premier brands and most consistent contenders.
