It seems like Forbes has been digging more into the way the MLS financial structure works and runs their team of analysts through the numbers and paperwork to determine which city has the most valuable MLS franchise. Unsurprisingly, the big money clubs (Seattle, LA, NYCFC and Toronto) top the list.

Here’s the link to the article.

Here’s a screenshot of the figures:

NYCFC and Orlando have done well as expansion clubs, getting insanely high numbers of season ticket members and even having fees to just get on the waiting list (as it is with Orlando). Also surprising is Houston’s 6th place ranking ahead of Portland (though not by much), but of all the teams in the top 10, Houston would not have been on my list of guesses.

What is also confusing is the $200 million entry fee that Don Garber and company have affixed to entering the league when only 7 clubs are valued above the $200 million mark. This actually should help the MLSPU with their negotiations when the current CBA runs out. Don Garber himself stated that “there are man more investors” and there is “enormous upside” and that MLS is “one of the last really great investment opportunities in pro sports”. I’m sure some of the players are looking at that and still wondering why true free agency isn’t a thing and why there’s still some arbitrary cap.