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President Donald Trump’s wealth has increased in recent years, with a big gain thanks to his stake in Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) and his family’s cryptocurrency ventures. Things may have been different if Trump acquired an NFL team in 1980 with his wealth likely worth significantly more and his political ambitions possibly non-existent.
The valuation of NFL teams has risen in recent years, with multiple teams worth more than $10 billion. The most valuable team among them is the Dallas Cowboys. Forbes values the Cowboys at $13 billion, with Sportico valuing the team at $12.8 billion.
Both media outlets report the Cowboys gaining more than 20% in value in the last year. The Cowboys have topped the Sportico NFL team valuations in each of the six years of publishing, while the Cowboys have topped the Forbes NFL rankings for 19 straight years.
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Now one of the NFL’s most popular teams and the most valuable, the Cowboys were once almost owned by Trump, who passed on buying the team for $50 million in 1984.
“I feel sorry for the poor guy who is going to buy the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a no-win situation for him, because if he wins, well, so what, they’ve won through the years, and if he loses, which seems likely because they’re having troubles, he’ll be known to the world as a loser,” Trump told the New York Times at the time.
Trump instead opted to buy a team in the newly formed USFL at the time (more on that below).
The average NFL franchise is worth $7.1 billion according to Forbes and Sportico with each franchise worth at least $5 billion. NFL teams collected $460 million in revenue from the league as a split from media, sponsorships, licensing and tickets. This amount makes it hard for teams not to be profitable.
The Cowboys generated $1.2 billion in revenue and $629 million in operating income, leading the NFL in both categories.
A report from The Dallas News says the valuation of the Cowboys has outgained the S&P 500 by more than double since 1996, showing the soaring value of NFL teams and how Trump may have passed up one of the most significant investment opportunities of all time.
Forbes estimates Trump’s wealth at $6 billion, significantly lower than what it could have been if he bought the Cowboys.
The Cowboys coined the term “America’s Team” in 1978 after a highlight reel, arguing that the team’s frequent television appearances deserved the nickname. The team is the winner of five Super Bowls and has appeared in the modern NFL championship game eight times.
