Chicago Fire on Forbes List

Forbes released their first list of most valuable Major League Soccer teams since 2008. Back in then, the Sounders had no begun to play in the MLS. Five years later, the Seattle Sounders are the most valuable team in the league with the LA Galaxy in a close second. Both of the teams are valued at $170 million or more.

Our beloved Chicago Fire were ranked 8th on the list with a value of $102 million. This makes them one of eight teams worth over $100 million. Section 8 might need to trade in their scarves for Fire red ascots. The Fire were also listed to have generated $24.5 million in revenue with a $3.2 million operating loss.

The list is worth a look as there are a few surprises. For me, seeing the Toronto FC, Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers being ranked as more valuable than the New York Red Bulls is surprising. Everyone knows that Red Bull Arena is "sold out" practically every game.

The Forbes article does not really unearth anything that was not already common knowledge to the average MLS fan, but it is still a good read. For anyone not terribly familiar with the league, there is a lot of information in the article on how the league operates and the financial history of the league.