Say what you will about Malcolm Glazer's sports franchises, but you should call them among the most valuable in the world.
For all the turmoil and talk of debt, the Glazer family's Manchester United soccer team is still the most valuable franchise in all of sports, according to Forbes magazine.
Not far behind, at No. 12, are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also owned by the Glazers.
Forbes released its list of the world's top 50 most valuable teams Wednesday, with the English Premier League club owned by the Glazers leading the way at $1.84 billion.
Amid protests from fans, the Glazers have insisted it will not entertain offers for United, which has around $1 billion of debt. Despite a proposed boycott by disgruntled fans, the team has sold a reported 50,000 season tickets, matching previous seasons.
The Bucs were valued at $1.09 billion, and annual revenue was listed as $241 million. The online list, in the form of a slideshow, remarks: "Poor play on the field and reduced spending on players has lowered demand for tickets."
The top American franchise, the Dallas Cowboys, owned by Jerry Jones, was second on the list at $1.65 billion.
The New York Yankees, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, Real Madrid, New York Giants, Arsenal, New York Jets and Houston Texans round out the top 10.
The top 50 is mostly made up of NFL teams. Several international soccer clubs are included, and only a few Major League Baseball clubs (Yankees, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers).
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