Back in 2009, the Chicago Cubs were sold to the Ricketts' family for approximately $845 million, which is a record an MLB franchise. At the time, the Ricketts' were criticized for overpaying for the Cubs, who at the time had no clear path to a winning future. Well, less than a decade has passed and the Cubs' value has more than tripled.
After a 2016 World Series title victory that snapped the longest championship drought in American sports history, Forbes listed the Cubs as the fourth most valuable franchise in MLB. Coming in at No. 1 is once again the New York Yankees, who are valued at a jaw-dropping $3.7 billion.
Here's the top-five in the Forbes list, with the Cubs ranking fourth at $2.675 billion.
- New York Yankees - $3.7 billion
- Los Angeles Dodgers - $2.75 billion
- Boston Red Sox - $2.7 billion
- Chicago Cubs - $2.675 billion
- San Francisco Giants - $2.65 billion
During the previous seven years the Ricketts have renovated Wrigley Field and before their banner raising night during their home opener on Monday the new Park at Wrigley was unveiled. Couple the business side with the baseball operations led by Theo Epstein and the Cubs are now the envy of MLB, featuring two of the most popular players in the sport in Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. It's no surprise the value has increased as much as it have and that's not going to stop anytime soon because there are more renovations and features coming to and around Wrigley Field. According to Forbes, the average MLB franchise is worth $1.54 billion, up 19 percent from last year. The Chicago White Sox are valued at $1.35 billion, ranking 15th in MLB. You can see the entire list here.
