On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams speak with Sportico valuations expert Kurt Badenhausen about his most recent MLB valuations. The conversations covers all things about the business of baseball, from sales and relocation to labor strife and international opportunities.
The New York Yankees are the most valuable team in MLB, according to the list, at $8.39 billion. That’s followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers at $7.73 billion, the Boston Red Sox at $6.03 billion and the Chicago Cubs at $5.69 billion. The least valuable club is the Miami Marlins at $1.3 billion.
Badenhausen talks about how to approach valuations in a league with a lot of uncertainty. A lot of that has to do with the looming labor battle. The current MLB CBA expires in late 2026, and the rhetoric has already escalated, with both sides hinting that they expect a work stoppage. Central to the owners’ desires is a salary cap. MLB has the loosest salary rules in major American sports, and a salary cap would likely shrink player compensation and increase valuations. The MLBPA would obviously resist the move, and not all owners are aligned either.
The trio also discusses the Athletics. The team is in its middle era of a planned relocation to Las Vegas. Despite moving to a minor league stadium this season, the team will make significantly more money in 2025. That’s thanks to higher attendance, a larger revenue share check and the retention of its media contract.
They also talk about MLB’s overseas endeavors. Shohei Ohtani and a host of other Japanese stars have helped unlock a large revenue opportunity for the league in Asia. The World Baseball Classic and Tokyo Series are just two ways MLB is looking to capitalize.
They close the show with a game. If you had to buy one MLB team, at the Sportico price, who would it be and why. They end up with three radically different answers.
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