Colts Franchise Valued at ...

[BlueStallion]

$1.154 Billion as of August 2012, according to this Forbes article.

 

Indy is the 12th most valuable NFL team.  Its annual revenue  ($268Mil) and operating income ($62.6Mil) are comparable to some much bigger market franchises such as NYJ, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco.

 

Based on operating income, the three most lucrative NFL teams by far are Dallas ($226.7Mil), New England ($118.8Mil), and Washington ($109Mil).  No other team in the league comes close.

 

Poke fun at Jim Irsay all you want, he's still a billionaire.  While we laugh at him, he's laughing all the way to the bank.

[Valpo2004]

I don't think I've seen too many people poking fun at Irsay on here.  He seems to be pretty well liked among Colt's fans.  

 

Some of that surprises me though.  The Raiders, the Lions  and the Steelers are losing money?  

 

Atlanta a big market team only worth 837 million and with an operating income of 15.3 million?

 

In comparison the Texans being the youngest franchise in the NFL are #5 in value.

 

Honestly I thought most of these teams would make more money then that.  

[oldunclemark]

  I'm missing something.

 

Why does Dallas have twice as much money to work with as any of the other 31 teams???

[Narcosys]

I'm missing something.

Why does Dallas have twice as much money to work with as any of the other 31 teams???

Cause Dallas fans are dumb . Jk Jk.....maybe.

[Smonroe]

  I'm missing something.

 

Why does Dallas have twice as much money to work with as any of the other 31 teams???

 

No matter how bad Jones is as a GM, he's still a genius when it came to marketing.  

 

And it's not like they have more money to work with when it comes to paying players.

[ztboiler]

I don't think I've seen too many people poking fun at Irsay on here.  He seems to be pretty well liked among Colt's fans.  

 

Some of that surprises me though.  The Raiders, the Lions  and the Steelers are losing money?  

 

Atlanta a big market team only worth 837 million and with an operating income of 15.3 million?

 

In comparison the Texans being the youngest franchise in the NFL are #5 in value.

 

Honestly I thought most of these teams would make more money then that.  

We are riding the coat tails of the Peyton Manning effect.  Very hard to put a price on the national/international popularity that he has and has therefore brought Jim Irsay and the Colts.  Peyton did more to redefine the QB position than any other in a QB driven league.  Add to that a very unique Manning/Brady rivalry and you have a marketing execs dream.

[Fx Stryker]

We used to be 11th....

 

But it also wasn't too long before that we were dead last.

[southwest1]

I'm really surprised that the Bears are so high at #8. Historically, the McCaskey Family has been notoriously cheap GM wise. A great city & sports town of course, but typically you have to spend money to make money. Yes, Jay Cutler's trade from the Broncos was high & he does receive a nice annual salary, but a cheap franchise rarely wins any modern day   hardware IMO. I may detest the Dallas Cowboys, but Jerry Jones is never afraid to pay for premium athletic talent IMO.

[pacolts56]

Ah yes....the business side of football.

 

And the Colts only have a 4% debt to value ratio....2nd only to publicly-owned Green Bay.....which includes stadium debt.

 

Pretty sharp business on Jim Irsay's part.....but even more than Peyton Manning, taxpayers deserve a healthy portion of the thanks.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-06/stadiums-cost-taxpayers-extra-10-billion-harvard-s-long-finds.html

 

An excerpt from the Harvard study....

 

"The highest-cost deals include Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium, where the National Football League’s Colts play; Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, home of the Bengals; and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park in baseball. In those cases, the public share of costs, once ongoing expenses are included, exceeds 100 percent of the building’s original price tag."

 

Considering the product on the field has been rock-solid for 15 years now, and some of the absolutely ridiculous other things taxpayer dollars are spent on....I wouldn't be too pi$$ed off though if I were a local taxpayer.

 

And by all accounts Jim Irsay is a great community guy.....but jeeez...that's a lot of dough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[southwest1]

Considering that Robert McNair's Houston Texans are #5 in this list & Jerry Jones is #1. I'd be a little worried if I was Jerry. Remember, the Texans are still a relatively young expansion team started in 2002 & they have already surpassed Dallas division title wise & Playoffs wise in THIS DECADE JERRY.

 

The real team in Texas that I respect & fear due to their tremendous roster talent. 

[southwest1]

Ah yes....the business side of football.

 

And the Colts only have a 4% debt to value ratio....2nd only to publicly-owned Green Bay.....which includes stadium debt.

 

Pretty sharp business on Jim Irsay's part.....but even more than Peyton Manning, taxpayers deserve a healthy portion of the thanks.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-06/stadiums-cost-taxpayers-extra-10-billion-harvard-s-long-finds.html

 

An excerpt from the Harvard study....

 

"The highest-cost deals include Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium, where the National Football League’s Colts play; Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, home of the Bengals; and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park in baseball. In those cases, the public share of costs, once ongoing expenses are included, exceeds 100 percent of the building’s original price tag."

 

Considering the product on the field has been rock-solid for 15 years now, and some of the absolutely ridiculous other things taxpayer dollars are spent on....I wouldn't be too pi$$ed off though if I were a local taxpayer.

 

And by all accounts Jim Irsay is a great community guy.....but jeeez...that's a lot of dough.

I like your link here  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-06/stadiums-cost-taxpayers-extra-10-billion-harvard-s-long-finds.html But, I never can comprehend why pathetic football teams think they deserve extensive renovations or a whole new stadium. If you can win 10 or 11 games per year, you get your new upgrade or new digs. If not, your out of luck to me. 

 

Yes, I know the idea is to level the playing field among small market teams that can't compete with enormous metropolitan cities I get it. Seriously, LA is a huge city & they can't get a new stadium or team since the Rams left CA, but the Minnesota Viking get one? Are you bleeping kidding me?! Now that is ridiculous to me. 

[southwest1]

I guess that I have believed that you reward excellence not substandard NFL teams. I always love the argument sad franchises make to their state legislatures to in order to justify spending millions of tax payer dollars for a new stadium. "This approval for a new stadium will benefit everyone/countless citizens of our state." Really? How do you figure that exactly?

Owners, vendors, bars along the stadium route will rake in the dough, perhaps electricians, plumbers, & glass specialists until the project is completed. But Football is a home TV activity now that satellite companies have cornered the market on & people love avoiding traffic problems, high gas prices, & waiting in long lines for a bathroom break. Yes, there are always loyal season ticket holders that attend almost every home game, but why get out of your recliner in the den if you don't have to?

The other thing is that fiber optics & several camera angles trump the LIVE in person experience. I guess it depends what a fan wants more better analysis & no obstructions or crying babies, obnoxious drunks, too much white noise. And if you wanna buy team merchandise do it online with a credit card & the click of a mouse. But online companies do kill Ya with shipping & handling fees I will acknowledge that salient fact.

[southwest1]

I do wonder for some of my international friends on here like BraveHeartColt from Scotland if there is any huge difference price wise for a NFL ticket who are just visiting friends in the States who do not possess dual citizenship? How do currency rates translate? I don't know. I am merely asking that's all...

What is Roger Goodell doing to appeal to foreign fans new to our great NFL sport? And why can't we play an NFL game abroad in Prague or Turkey instead of only London? Scotland...Sure why not? I'm all for it man! Seeing a game in Spain would kick caboose too IMHO as well.

The NFL is a multibillion dollar industry I think the league can afford to fill the 747 gas tank a few times...Hades, if Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson & the boys can fly to remote corners of the globe to entertain loyal Metal fans with Flight 666; the League can land on a few foreign landingstrips & cross a few times zones IMO.

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Poke fun at Jim Irsay all you want, he's still a billionaire.  While we laugh at him, he's laughing all the way to the bank.

 

I dunno who is laughing at him...but if they are, they're stuck on stupid.

[southwest1]

If Jim Irsay's annual revenue is listed at $62.6 million with 4% in debt, that is pretty darn good like a creditor vs debtor nation. But, I wonder how these number crunchers really pinpoint that debt in terms of collateral & physical assets of a franchise & how far back the lenders & chief financial officers really do go...I'd watch a feature TV segment on how NFL wealth is determined & calculated across this league. And how does a poor organization begin to win, turn the tide, & make some serious profit with a new revenue stream?

BTW, we need to have a Game in Berlin, Germany for Andrew just so I can hear Andrew Luck replicate this JFK jelly doughnut slogan... "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" HA! HA!

[cbear]

So if I understand operating income correctly, the Colts are the 5th most profitable team?  Not bad for Jimmy...

[southwest1]

The other thing that intrigues me is this: When a new billionaire wants to buy an NFL team what is the process like to receive final green light approval & given new Browns owner's recent indictments with the FBI & IRS what is the protocol for an owner's removal from an NFL franchise? Yes, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 

http://dawgpounddaily.com/2013/05/02/a-dawg-pound-daily-roundtable-on-browns-owner-jimmy-haslam/

 

 

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/fbi-documents-reveal-details-of-fbi--probe-into-browns-owner-jimmy-haslams-pilot-flying-j

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/04/contracts_emails_spreadsheets.html

[southwest1]

 I do remember that 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. was compelled to step down though. So, there is an NFL precedent for this. It's not as if this circumstance has never transpired in the league before...

 

http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/DeBartolo-Guilty-of-Felony-1-million-fine-2-2986872.php#page-1

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-debartolohof080108

[southwest1]

1 last question that always perplexes & baffles me: Why does the NFL frown on illegal gambling & yet they encourage several NFL fans to engage in fantasy football leagues anyway? Okay, perhaps fans are not laying down direct bets with a bookie that is true, but a person is banking on a specific athlete's ability to score touchdowns & win games. You are projecting statistically on a athlete's or team's success rate or probability are you not? 

 

It's like buying your child candy cigarettes & pouches of tobacco all their lives & then being shocked, dumbfounded, & appalled that your teenager now smokes & is addicted to nicotine. Bizarre & a mixed message of endorsement & approval if you ask me...Hmmm...

[pacolts56]

 I do remember that 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. was compelled to step down though. So, there is an NFL precedent for this. It's not as if this circumstance has never transpired in the league before...

 

http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/DeBartolo-Guilty-of-Felony-1-million-fine-2-2986872.php#page-1

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-debartolohof080108

Yeah SW....here's another news report and column on the Haslam mess that also touches on what happened to DeBartolo with that felony conviction in Louisiana.

 

I'm guessing the league would almost certainly want a similar outcome if Haslam is convicted for having real time knowledge of the fraud and didn't act immediately to stop it...because prior to the Browns purchase he was a roughly 15% minority owner of the Steelers when it sounds like most of this monkey business went on.

 

http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/296354/4/Analysis-Jimmy-Haslam-wont-face-charges

 

The attorney they interviewed in this report doubts, based on what he knows, that Haslam knew what was going on to the extent that would get him convicted. But I guess we'll see what the Feds have....and whether or not Jimmy is in hot water.

 

I'll be watching this one....I was part of the management team at two of his Pilot stores in the 90s.

 

Overall...Jimmy, his brother and his dad were very good to us, although the time we had to sit across the table during one of his store visits and go over a bad quarterly P&L statement with him was about as much fun as briefing Saddam Hussein on battlefield losses.

 

I imagine being in Brandon Weeden's shoes after throwing 3 picks is even less pleasant.

[southwest1]

Another one is this: The NFL was so angry that their family, wholesome product was compromised during a half time show when Janet Jackson's cleavage was exposed for a few seconds, but the league loves to make millions showing TV commercials for beer, condoms, & half naked women selling shampoo, cars, jeans, Victoria Secret garments, & perfume? Riddle me that one Batman AKA NFL Commissioner? HA! HA!

I love these glaring, self righteous contradictions. They always make me LOL!

[esmort]

Was it the NFL or the TV network that was outraged? I don't remember the NFL being the ones all up in arms.

[John Dee]

$1.154 Billion as of August 2012, according to this Forbes article.

 

Indy is the 12th most valuable NFL team.  Its annual revenue  ($268Mil) and operating income ($62.6Mil) are comparable to some much bigger market franchises such as NYJ, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco.

 

Based on operating income, the three most lucrative NFL teams by far are Dallas ($226.7Mil), New England ($118.8Mil), and Washington ($109Mil).  No other team in the league comes close.

 

Poke fun at Jim Irsay all you want, he's still a billionaire.  While we laugh at him, he's laughing all the way to the bank.

The QB that QB's Jimmy's team has a MAJOR effect on these "numbers"..

[Tark The Shark]

I don't see people laughing at Irsay after this past season. Most of the intelligent fans realize that he is a good businessman and knows how to market the team and bring in good talent and good management.

 

That is a hefty price to put on taxpayers, even with all of the success. But with the team's success and more Super Bowl bids, I think it is worth it for the city and the franchise.

 

We are high on the list because of the Manning and Luck eras. And the better owner Jim has been as compared to Daddy Irsay who wasn't exactly the best owner in the league.

 

I am very happy with the franchise and where it is valued.

[southwest1]

Yeah SW....here's another news report and column on the Haslam mess that also touches on what happened to DeBartolo with that felony conviction in Louisiana.

 

I'm guessing the league would almost certainly want a similar outcome if Haslam is convicted for having real time knowledge of the fraud and didn't act immediately to stop it...because prior to the Browns purchase he was a roughly 15% minority owner of the Steelers when it sounds like most of this monkey business went on.

 

http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/296354/4/Analysis-Jimmy-Haslam-wont-face-charges

 

The attorney they interviewed in this report doubts, based on what he knows, that Haslam knew what was going on to the extent that would get him convicted. But I guess we'll see what the Feds have....and whether or not Jimmy is in hot water.

 

I'll be watching this one....I was part of the management team at two of his Pilot stores in the 90s.

 

Overall...Jimmy, his brother and his dad were very good to us, although the time we had to sit across the table during one of his store visits and go over a bad quarterly P&L statement with him was about as much fun as briefing Saddam Hussein on battlefield losses.

 

I imagine being in Brandon Weeden's shoes after throwing 3 picks is even less pleasant.

Thanks for your feedback on this story PAC56. I always find it ironic that interstate fraud charges & proving their validity in court always comes down to that famous Nixon Watergate line: "What did he know & when did he know it?" Plus, people always love to say that a few rogue employees went off the reservation, disobeyed company regulations, & they alone are exclusively responsible for any fraud or misconduct. That excuse/explanation gets used way too often if you ask me. Again, I am not accusing anyone of a crime here, but when both the FBI & IRS show up on your doorstep; Your company is in serious jeopardy & legal trouble. Yikes! 

 

Nice tie in with Eddie DeBartolo's situation too. Good work my friend! 

[pacolts56]

I don't see people laughing at Irsay after this past season. Most of the intelligent fans realize that he is a good businessman and knows how to market the team and bring in good talent and good management.

 

That is a hefty price to put on taxpayers, even with all of the success. But with the team's success and more Super Bowl bids, I think it is worth it for the city and the franchise.

 

We are high on the list because of the Manning and Luck eras. And the better owner Jim has been as compared to Daddy Irsay who wasn't exactly the best owner in the league.

 

I am very happy with the franchise and where it is valued.

All good points...and Jim Irsay having learned and accepted the hard lessons of just how difficult the GM position is...was huge.

 

The Tobin / Polian / Grigson GM hires have all worked to get the organization to a competitive and stable place....and without question...Manning and Luck were/are franchise cornerstones.

 

Unfortunately for Cowboys fans in particular....there is SO much all-world popularity, brand success and $$$$ rolling in for the Cowboys that its very possible Jerry Jones will never come to the same conclusion. He just seems bent on duplicating Jimmy Johnson's player personnel wizardry....and its just not happening.

[southwest1]

Was it the NFL or the TV network that was outraged? I don't remember the NFL being the ones all up in arms.

The NFL was engaging in what I call "fake public outrage"; they were worried about tarnishing their "pristine" family persona & compromising their broadcasting network affiliations. It was such a farce like 20 clowns trying to cram themselves into a circus car, but the last clown gets stuck & can't shut the door for a swift, tidy, & clean get away.

Trust me, the whole incident lead the national news for days & was blown way out of proportion. So a little kid saw a blurry, distorted image of a woman's cleavage, big deal. I don't think anyone's child went blind because of it. Crazy just crazy. The fuss that was generated over a distorted picture that no one could clearly make out anyway...

[superrep1967]

$1.154 Billion as of August 2012, according to this Forbes article.

 

Indy is the 12th most valuable NFL team.  Its annual revenue  ($268Mil) and operating income ($62.6Mil) are comparable to some much bigger market franchises such as NYJ, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco.

 

Based on operating income, the three most lucrative NFL teams by far are Dallas ($226.7Mil), New England ($118.8Mil), and Washington ($109Mil).  No other team in the league comes close.

 

Poke fun at Jim Irsay all you want, he's still a billionaire.  While we laugh at him, he's laughing all the way to the bank.

Why would we laugh at Irsay he has made some brilliant moves.

[superrep1967]

I don't see people laughing at Irsay after this past season. Most of the intelligent fans realize that he is a good businessman and knows how to market the team and bring in good talent and good management.

 

That is a hefty price to put on taxpayers, even with all of the success. But with the team's success and more Super Bowl bids, I think it is worth it for the city and the franchise.

 

We are high on the list because of the Manning and Luck eras. And the better owner Jim has been as compared to Daddy Irsay who wasn't exactly the best owner in the league.

 

I am very happy with the franchise and where it is valued.

You mean the drunk daddy!

[superrep1967]

Considering that Robert McNair's Houston Texans are #5 in this list & Jerry Jones is #1. I'd be a little worried if I was Jerry. Remember, the Texans are still a relatively young expansion team started in 2002 & they have already surpassed Dallas division title wise & Playoffs wise in THIS DECADE JERRY.

 

The real team in Texas that I respect & fear due to their tremendous roster talent. 

The Cowboys are a joke!!!!!!

[NewColtsFan]

  I'm missing something.

 

Why does Dallas have twice as much money to work with as any of the other 31 teams???

 

 

Because while LOS holds roughly 65,000 fans,  the new Cowboys stadium holds somewhere between 80 and 100,000 fans.

 

Their ticket prices are higher.   Their parking prices are higher.   The ad rates for all billboards and signage in the stadium is much higher....  I'm sure their luxury boxes are dramatically more expensive.   There are more rich folks and big companies in Texas that will pay huge money to be at those games.     Everything associated with the Dallas Cowboys just brings in lots more revenue.

 

Being the owner there is a license to print money....    props to Jerry Jones.    Good thing for the rest of the league he keeps sabotaging his own franchise by being the GM....    he'll keep that team mediocre until he turns it over to someone who really knows football....

 

But that's not likely to happen in this lifetime.....    

[southwest1]

Because while LOS holds roughly 65,000 fans, the new Cowboys stadium holds somewhere between 80 and 100,000 fans.

Their ticket prices are higher. Their parking prices are higher. The ad rates for all billboards and signage in the stadium is much higher.... I'm sure their luxury boxes are dramatically more expensive. There are more rich folks and big companies in Texas that will pay huge money to be at those games. Everything associated with the Dallas Cowboys just brings in lots more revenue.

Being the owner there is a license to print money.... props to Jerry Jones. Good thing for the rest of the league he keeps sabotaging his own franchise by being the GM.... he'll keep that team mediocre until he turns it over to someone who really knows football....

But that's not likely to happen in this lifetime.....

Precisely NCF! If Jerry Jones didn't need credit for everything Dallas does & he was smart enough to hire a real bonafide, NFL GM, the team must actually win some crucial games during the season. Pride & ego are Jerry's 2 biggest weaknesses IMO. As much as it pains me to say this, Dallas has a talented roster, but that team is still foolish enough to believe that they are still the "America's Team" of the early 90's winning SB trophies. There's nothing worse than a team literally living off of long ago glory yesteryears. Pathetic & sad...Sigh...At least, the Colts & the Pats doing cling to the past like it's still relevant.

Also, for the record, until that franchise fires their HC & hires a new one that won't kiss their caboose & decides to bury that stupid "America's Team" label...The Giants & the Redskins will always steamroll them & win NFC East Division titles. Like Al Davis, Jerry Jones needs to step down or die before that organization will ever win another SB trophy again.

[southwest1]

I just feel sorry for my friends QuizBoy & Vance87 who loyally support the Houston Texans a darn good squad that is more than capable of getting to a SB IMO, but Dallas gets all the attention & media love. It's such a bleeping disgrace. SMH. I just had to say that outloud. Nothing royally ticks me off more than a better team who gets brushed under the rug for no legitimate reason at all. It really irritates me man. DO the Browns, Jaguars, or Raiders get glowing press coverage? Hades no!

It just makes my blood boil...Grrr!

[braveheartcolt]

I just feel sorry for my friends QuizBoy & Vance87 who loyally support the Houston Texans a darn good squad that is more than capable of getting to a SB IMO, but Dallas gets all the attention & media love. It's such a bleeping disgrace. SMH. I just had to say that outloud. Nothing royally ticks me off more that a better team who gets brushed under the rug for no legitimate reason at all. It really irritates me man. DO the Browns, Jaguars, or Raiders get glowing press coverage? Hades no!

It just makes my blood boil...Grrr!

As you know, I'm a big fan of your country, and me and my wife and son dream of living there. But what you describe re the Cowboys is how the majority of the world think about the USA and where they see their presence and importance on the world stage. 

 

And I'll stress, this is not my view..... although we did only send over our second stringers during the revolution, as our 'first team' were fighting the French and the Spanish back in Europe etc....

[HarassedOffTheSite]

No greater indicator of Irsay's acumen as a businessman/owner. One of (if not) the best in the business.