There’s no question about it—sports is a lucrative industry, valued at $2.65 trillion. That makes it the ninth-largest industry worldwide, according to the Global Institute of Sport. And while sports might be fun to watch, follow, or even play, it’s also a field that unites us, improves our world’s physical and mental health, and encourages positive social behaviors. These are just a few reasons why the sports economy continues to thrive, but have you ever wondered whichsports generate the most revenue toward this whopping total?
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The sports industry is so successful in part due to its diversification of revenue. With ticket sales, merchandise sales, sponsorships, media and broadcasting partnerships, social media platforms, and concessions at the stadium to earn the big bucks from, there’s no stopping its consistent growth. Online sports betting has also opened up another stream of revenue, redefining how fans interact with their favorite sports. Download real money apps to play slots, and you’ll often find a sportsbook component included as well.
Ready to see which sports are bringing in the most revenue? Let’s explore.
Soccer
Although by no means the most popular sport in the U.S., soccer is practically a religion in many other countries. The fan base alone and the international nature of soccer puts it at the top of the list, even though this one is in no particular order.
In the 2021–22 season, the Premier League’s Manchester United alone brought in around $5.1 million per match—and that’s only one team in the highest tier of association football in England. There’s also Bundesliga, La Liga in Spain, Ligue 1 in France, and Serie A, among other leagues around the world. Unlike other sports that typically have one dominant league worldwide, each of the ones named here brings in several billion dollars each season. When tallying these numbers and adding other revenue streams into the mix, it’s clear that soccer takes the crown.
Football
Football is the pride and joy of the United States, and it has the NFL to thank for making it so profitable. For the 2023 season, the league estimated its total revenue to be close to $20 billion, $1.4 billion more than the season before. With the salary cap increasing every year, players signing outrageous contracts, and the NFL’s efforts to bring football in front of an international audience, the sport isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
The league has effectively monetized the sport as a product, fostering loyal partnerships with brands and selling over $4 billion in merchandise every year. Fans are so invested in the sport that they also engage in fantasy football, using mock drafts to compete in their own virtual leagues. Fantasy football itself is a $20 billion business that only adds to overall revenue. But let’s not forget the Canadian Football League (CFL). Although a much smaller brand than the NFL, each club rakes in millions in revenue every season as well.
Baseball
There are a lot of baseball games played in a single season—2,430 in 2023, to be exact. To put it into perspective, there are only 285 football games in an NFL season, 1,320 games in an NBA season, and, second after baseball, 1,400 games in an NHL season. That’s ample opportunity for the MLB to drive revenue through everything from ticket sales to advertising. The league famously hosts a variety of promotions that encourage fans to attend, including bobblehead days, replica jersey days, and specialty tickets that come with extra gifts. While the MLB is responsible for baseball in North America, other leagues, such as Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan and the Korean Baseball Organization League in South Korea, bring in revenue for the sport as well.
Basketball
Every team in the world’s most prestigious basketball league, the NBA, makes hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The Golden State Warriors are responsible for the highest revenue, raking in $765 million—$249 million than second on the list, the Los Angeles Lakers.
What makes basketball particularly special in the U.S. is that it earns tons of revenue from non-U.S. media rights agreements, thanks to the sport’s global popularity compared to baseball and football. Brazil and China have massive fan bases that follow the NBA, which is why the value of media rights is so high. In the past two years or so, we’ve also seen the rise of the WNBA, arguably the most popular women’s sports league outside of soccer. With growing interest and stars like Caitlin Clark bringing eyes to the WNBA, it’s soon to become even more influential than it is now.
Hockey
Much like the other major leagues in the U.S., such as the NFL and NBA, the NHL makes its money through lucrative ticket sales, major partnerships and sponsorships, and lucrative broadcasting deals with big networks like ESPN. It’s a much-loved, highly respected league with a passionate fan base. Like the NFL, it’s working to grow its international presence through the NHL Global Series and the NHL Winter Classic.
To complement the NHL’s revenue, there are also other ice hockey leagues in Europe, including the Kontinental Hockey League, the National League in Switzerland, the Swedish Hockey League, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga 1 and 2, and Liiga in Finland. Although the smaller leagues don’t generate nearly as much money, they all come together to solidify hockey as an integral component in the worldwide sports industry.
