For sports fans and spectators around the world, it’s all about watching your favourite team or favourite sports person play, and whether they win or lose, it’s all about cheering them on and watching a decent game play out in front of your eyes. However, for the chairman of the club and the executives in the shadows, it’s all about profit. Here are the ten most profitable men’s sports leagues in the world in 2022.
National Football League (NFL)
Regularly featuring at number 1 as the most profitable sports league in the world is the NFL (National Football League) in America, which has a whopping 32 teams competing against each other. For the 2021 season, this powerhouse league generated somewhere in the region of $13 billion. More than 16.6 million people watched the games at the stadiums, with average attendances at grounds hovering around the 67,500 mark. The team to have won the title most times in this league are the Green Bay Packers from Wisconsin, and the new season is set to get underway on September 8th, 2022.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
At number 2 is America’s Major League Baseball. The combined revenue of all 22 teams for the 2021 season came to $9.56 billion dollars. The iconic New York Yankees are the most successful team in the league, having won an incredible 22 titles in the club’s history. It’s one of the oldest major professional sports in the world, and the average stadium attendance is regularly close to 19,000 people. The latest league winners were the Atlanta Braves, and the new season kicked off on April 7th after a short one-week delay.
National Basketball Association (NBA)
The third most profitable sports league in the world is the National Basketball Association (NBA), which made a cool $6.41 billion in revenue in the latest 2021 season. However, total revenue for the sport has seen an overall decrease for the second year in a row. The two joint-most successful teams in this league are the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, having both won the title on 17 separate occasions, and average attendances for most games are around 17,000 people. This latest season’s winners were the Golden State Warriors from California.
Indian Premier League (cricket)
The Indian Premier League is the highest level of cricket in the country, and figures reveal that it generated approximately $4.7 billion dollars at the close of last season. There are several websites that offer IPL betting if you’re looking for the best odds to place a wager on upcoming matches in this league. The average attendance for most games is around 26,000 people, and the most successful team in this league are the Mumbai Indians, having won five titles. A total of ten teams play in the league, and the latest winners for the 2022 season were the Gujarat Titans. The new season is scheduled to commence on March 25th, 2023.
La Liga (Spanish football/soccer)
La Liga is the highest division in men’s professional football in Spain, and at the end of last season, it generated more than $3.9 billion in revenue. There are 20 teams that compete in this league, and the average attendance for matches is around 37,000 people. The most successful club in La Liga is Real Madrid, having won the title a record 35 times, and the current reigning champions also happen to be Real Madrid. The new 2022/23 season is set to begin on August 12th.
English Premier League (football/soccer)
According to figures, the English Premier League (top tier football) made around $3 billion dollars in the 2020/21 season, making it the sixth most profitable sports league in the world. The average attendance for most games is around 35,000 people, and the most successful team in the history of top-flight football in England is Manchester United. These titans of sport have won the league a record 13 times. In 1992, the first division of the English Football League became known as the Premier League. There are 20 teams in the league, and the current reigning champions are Manchester City. The new season is set to begin on August 5th, 2022.
Serie A (Italian football/soccer)
By the close of the 2021/22 season of Serie A (the top-flight league in Italian football), the league had generated somewhere in the region of $2 billion. There are 20 teams in this league, and the most successful club is Juventus, with a cool 35 championship titles under its belt. The average attendance for most games is around 33,000, and the current reigning champions are AC Milan. The new 2022/23 season will kick off on August 13th.
League 1 (French football/soccer)
Ligue 1 is the top league in French professional football, and figures reveal that the latest season generated approximately $2 billion. There are currently 20 teams in this league, and the average attendance for most matches is around 34,000 people. The three joint most successful clubs in this league are Saint-Etienne, Marseille, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who have all won the title ten times. The current reigning champions are PSG, and the new season will kick off on August 6th.
National Hockey League (NHL)
The National Hockey League is the top league in American/Canadian Ice Hockey. It comprises 25 teams from the United States and seven from Canada, and the average attendance for most games is around 17,500. The latest league generated around $2.33 billion, and the current reigning champions are Tampa Bay Lightning. The most successful team in the history of the NHL is The Montreal Canadiens, having won the league title (the Stanley Cup) a total of 24 times. The upcoming 2022/23 NHL season will start on October 7th.
Australian Rules Football
The top league in Australian Rules Football (AFL) generated approximately $506 million dollars at the close of the last season. The two joint-most successful teams in this league are Essendon and Carlton, who have both won the league a total of 16 times. The average attendance for most Aussie Rules Football games is around 30,500, and the current reigning champions are Melbourne. There are 18 teams in this league, which is still running and is scheduled to end on September 24th.
