Sports have evolved into a booming industry over the years, generating a staggering $620 billion in revenue worldwide. With professional sports leagues being significant businesses in today’s society, their revenue comes from various sources. People are willing to spend both their time and money to witness their favorite athletes or teams play live.
Sports have become a favorite pastime for many age groups, and young adults often look up to professional athletes. These athletes are not only well-known with a large following, but they are also among some of the wealthiest individuals in the world. For those who are interested in the financial aspect of sports, this blog post highlights the top 10 richest sports leagues in the world today.
Top Wealthiest Sports Leagues Globally
Below are the top 10 wealthiest sports leagues in the world, widely supported and beloved by fans.
10. The UEFA Champions League (UCL)
In 1954, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) was established as a European professional football association. Each season, 32 teams are chosen based on how well they performed in their respective leagues. Twenty-two teams have won the renowned competition since it began. Each year, UEFA makes $2 billion in revenue. From 2021 through to 2024, they will earn more than £400 million yearly.
9. The Serie A (Italy)
Europe, and football fans in general, enjoy watching Italy’s top division. Every year, it brings in $2.3 billion in revenue. Since 2004–2005, there have been 20 clubs competing at the highest level. Lukaku and Abraham are two well-known players in the league.
8. Bundesliga (Germany)
This is a German-based professional soccer organization. The Bundesliga is made up of 18 teams and functions on a relegation and promotion system. It generates $4.3 billion in revenue every year. There are a significant number of people watching the league.
7. La Liga Santander (Spain)
This league is Spain’s top-tier football league. La Liga derives its income from sponsorship agreements, player sales, match ticket sales, and—most significantly—broadcasting agreements. It has a $4.5 billion annual revenue. Club revenue in La Liga increased by 20.6 percent in the 2017–2018 season.
6. National Hockey League
The national sport of India is hockey. It is India’s most esteemed and traditional sporting event. Each year, the National Hockey League generates $4.8 billion. As the sixth-largest hockey league in the world, the NHL is one of the largest. It raised its revenue to $5.08 billion for the 2018–2019 fiscal year.
5. The English Premier League (England)
One of the most popular sports in the world is the EPL. Every club in the English Premier League makes money through sales and sponsorships. It produces $5.3 billion in income annually on its own. According to data available for the 2016–2017 season, the Premier League earned €5.3 billion. The Premier League will cost $11.23 million for each game to be broadcast between 2022 and 2025.
4. The National Basketball Association (NBA)
This global elite league has players among the wealthiest people on earth. Its stars include athletes like Lebron James, Butler, Curry, Anthony, etc. It brings about $8 billion in revenue every year. It has dealt with national TV broadcasters that will bring in $500 million from global media. A single NBA team is worth $1 billion.
3. The Major League Baseball (MLB)
Western nations like America and Canada like watching baseball. But this sport is tremendously popular. It produces $10 billion in income annually on its own. Initially worth $1.2 billion, MLB’s gross revenue later increased to $10.3 billion in 2018 and then made an impressive stride to $10.7 billion in 2019.
2. The Indian Premier League (IPL)
The Indian Premier League, or IPL, comes in the second position regarding game costs. The annual men’s cricket league is held in India. The League now includes ten clubs, increasing from the initial eight as of 2022. Over $10 billion in revenue was produced this year. For a total of $6.2 billion, the media rights for 2023–2027 were auctioned separately. The sport has a sizable fan base, and a sizable audience also watches it. Tata is the league’s sponsor, and the league’s broadcasting price per game is $15.1 million.
1. The National Football League (NFL)
The National Football League, or NFL, holds the top spot and is regarded as the wealthiest league in the world. NFL revenue exceeded $16 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to increase by $25 billion by 2027. The participating 32 teams receive equal revenue. Every NFL game costs at least $36 billion to broadcast.
These are the top wealthiest leagues in 2022. While you might think some of these leagues are not popular enough to be that rich, first consider your region.