It looks like Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stake in Manchester United was a bargain after all!
Despite the season setting up to be United’s worst in the Premier League era and off-field changes igniting more excitement than on-pitch performances, United’s brand value remains resistant to the negative impact.
Sportico have released their list of most valuable soccer teams in the world for 2024 and United are first.
With a value of $6.2 billion, United join elite company with Real Madrid as the only two teams with a value north of $6 billion.
Third is Barcelona at $5.28 billion while Liverpool and Bayern Munich round out the top five.
The brand value of the Premier League as a whole is on stark display here, as six of the top 10 spots are taken up by the league’s “traditional top six”.
However, it is still remarkable to see that leading the race is the team performing the worst on the pitch among them this season.
Years of success under Sir Alex Ferguson in the Premier League era turned United into a money-making machine but they are arguably paying the price for it.
That is because their value attracted investors like the Glazers who have bled the club dry and it is a sign of United’s loyal fan following around the world that they still lead lists like these.
The value is calculated by multiplying a club’s average revenue of the last three years by eight, a standard practice among bankers.
Eyebrows were raised when Sir Jim was willing to part with more than a billion just for about a quarter stake in United.
However, the club’s enduring brand value despite not seeing success is proof of the fact that United are a sleeping giant still printing money, with the potential to do so much more with a coherent on-pitch strategy.
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