
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Forbes Magazine annually compiles sports franchise value data, and the numbers for the NBA came out this week. The league — which announced a massive new TV deal in October, jumping from less than $1 billion per year to more than $2.6 billion per year — figured to see some large gains in franchise values.
But the numbers that came out Wednesday are eye-opening even when accounting for expectations. The average value of franchises jumped a whopping 72 percent from last year to this year, per Forbes.
The Timberwolves' increase wasn't quite that dramatic, but it is still quite sharp: a 45 percent increase, from $430 million in 2014 to $625 million in 2015. While that value puts Minnesota 29th among the 30 NBA franchises (only the Bucks are valued lower), it is the continuation of a sharp upward trend for the Wolves.
For most of the mid-to-late-2000s, the Wolves hovered around a $300 million value mark. The recession and NBA work stoppage dropped the Wolves to down to $264 million in 2011 (their lowest value since 2004) and it increased only modestly to $272 million in 2012.
From there, though, it jumped to $364 million in 2013, $430 in 2014 and now $625 million. That's a 130 percent increase in just three years, which certainly brings a smile to the face of team owner Glen Taylor (who also owns the Star Tribune).
Of course, the valuation doesn't mean much unless it moves the needle on a potential sale price for the team. Kevin Garnett better start saving his money.
Waconia’s Max McEnelly defeated Stillwater’s Ryder Rogotzke on Friday to settle the match, just as he beat him at state in 2023.