Lack of on-field success isn’t hurting 49ers’ value

The 49ers have struggled on the field in recent years.

Despite rough times the last few years, the team is still one of the most valuable in all of sports.

The 49ers – who have followed last season’s 2-14 record with an 0-2 start in 2017-18 – rank fifth on Forbes’ latest list of the NFL’s most valuable teams, which was released Monday. The team is valued at $3.05 billion, which makes them No. 9 among a major sports franchise list comprised of NFL, MLB, NBA and world soccer squads.

The Dallas Cowboys lead not just the NFL, but all sports franchises with a value of $4.8 billion. On the NFL list, they’re followed by the New England Patriots ($3.7 billion), New York Giants ($3.3 billion), and Washington Redskins ($3.1 billion).

The Buffalo Bills are last in the NFL at $1.6 billion, just below the Detroit Lions ($1.7 billion) and the Cincinnati Bengals ($1.8 billion). Out of 32 NFL teams, these three are the only ones to not make the top 50 overall sports rankings.

The Raiders, valued at $2.38 billion, rank 19th in the NFL and 34th overall.

The New York Yankees are second on the overall list at $3.7 billion, then European soccer teams round out the top five: England’s Manchester United at $3.69 billion, then Spanish powers Barcelona ($3.64 billion) and Real Madrid ($3.58 billion).

Here’s how other regional teams stack up:

▪ Giants, $2.65 billion (fifth MLB, 19th overall).

▪ Warriors, $2.6 billion (third NBA, tied for 20th overall).

▪ Kings, $1.08 billion (15th NBA).

▪ A’s, $825 million (29th MLB).

▪ Sharks, $470 million (13th NHL).

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 9:24 PM with the headline "Lack of on-field success isn’t hurting 49ers’ value."