Forbes: Red Sox Third Most Valuable MLB Team Behind Yankees, Dodgers

Forbes Magazine has crunched some numbers regarding the business of baseball and revealed Wednesday what many have known for some time: The Boston Red Sox are heavy hitters.

Forbes ranks the Red Sox as the third most valuable Major League Baseball franchise, according to its latest annual study of the sport’s finances. Forbes values the Red Sox around $2.3 billion.

Only the New York Yankees ($3.4 billion) and the Los Angeles Dodgers ($2.5 billion) sit above Boston on Forbes’ list.

The San Francisco Giants ($2.25 billion) and the Chicago Cubs ($2.2 billion) round out Forbes’ top five.

These teams’ high values reflect their ability to generate revenue outside of baseball. These avenues include real estate, broadcasting and ownership in other sports, among others.

Forbes estimates the average value of a MLB franchise to be around $1.3 billion, up $100 million from last year’s numbers.

Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images