:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71426978/Stadium-03558.0.0.jpg)
The Seattle Sounders are the fourth-most valuable team in MLS at about $725 million, according to valuations by sports business publication Sportico. That’s about 3% more than they were valued at in 2021 and a rather eye-popping improvement on the $30 million expansion fee they reportedly paid for the team in 2009.
In 2021, the median NHL team was valued at about $720 million. The owners of the Seattle Kraken paid about $650 million for their expansion fee in 2018.
Aside from the top-line number, what is interesting about the Sounders’ place in the valuations is that the teams ahead of them all own or at least fully control the venues in which they play. The Sounders are tenants at not only Lumen Field, but also at Starfire Sports Complex where they currently train. The Sounders are, however, part owners of the Longacres property where they’ll officially begin training in 2024. It was not immediately clear if that was factored into their current valuation.
The Sounders had projected revenue of about $66 million this year — sixth-most in MLS — which is up from about $51 million last year and just $20 million during the Covid-impacted season of 2020.
MLS team valuations 2022
| Rank | Team | Valuation | Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Valuation | Change from 2021 |
| 1 | Los Angeles FC | $900 million | 5% |
| 2 | LA Galaxy | $865 million | 4% |
| 3 | Atlanta United | $855 million | 1% |
| 4 | Seattle Sounders FC | $725 million | 3% |
| 5 | Toronto FC | $705 million | 8% |
| 6 | D.C. United | $700 million | 11% |
| 7 | New York City FC | $690 million | 5% |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | $685 million | 8% |
| 9 | Austin FC | $630 million | 10% |
| 10 | Inter Miami CF | $585 million | 11% |
| 11 | Sporting Kansas City | $575 million | 5% |
| 12 | Charlotte FC | $570 million | N/A |
| 13 | Minnesota United FC | $565 million | 9% |
| 14 | Columbus Crew | $560 million | 4% |
| 15 | Philadelphia Union | $555 million | 5% |
| 16 | FC Cincinnati | $550 million | 10% |
| 17 | Chicago Fire FC | $535 million | 0% |
| 18 | New York Red Bulls | $525 million | 4% |
| 19 | Nashville SC | $520 million | 13% |
| 20 | San Jose Earthquakes | $515 million | 1% |
| 21 | New England Revolution | $495 million | 3% |
| 22 | Houston Dynamo FC | $475 million | 12% |
| 23 | FC Dallas | $470 million | 13% |
| 24 | Real Salt Lake | $430 million | 2% |
| 25 | Orlando City SC | $420 million | 5% |
| 26 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | $415 million | 8% |
| 27 | Colorado Rapids | $400 million | 8% |
| 28 | CF Montreal | $390 million | 3% |
Loading comments...