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Touchline • Issue 17 • 11
2012-13. Turkish club Fenerbahce, Roma and Atletico Madrid
were the only new entries in the rankings, in 18th, 19th and
20th places, respectively.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, ‘soccer’ is
also growing in popularity and income. Following news that
Major League Soccer (MLS) has awarded Orlando a franchise to
begin its inaugural season in 2015 and with David Beckham’s
bid to bring a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise to Miami
in 2017, it is perhaps of little surprise that MLS is now also
big business. Reports suggest that franchises are worth $103
million on average, up 175 per cent in value over the last five
years.
The latest Forbes valuation ranks the Seattle Sounders top at
$175 million in 2012, knocking Galaxy down to second place
with a $170-million worth. With last year’s revenue at $48
million and an operating income of $18.2 million, the Sounders
boosted its valuation by 483 per cent compared to 2009.
Portland Timbers ($141 million), Houston Dynamo ($125
million), Toronto FC ($121 million), New York Red Bulls ($114
million), Sporting Kansas City ($108 million) and Chicago Fire
($102 million) all surpassed the $100-million valuation mark.
The Orlando City Soccer Club, which currently competes in
the third-tier USL (United Soccer Leagues) Pro league under
the Orlando City Lions name, attracts an average of about
© LAURAHALE 2013
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid tops Deloitte rankings,
while Atletico Madrid sits at #20.