Sports
5 MLS franchises top $1B in Sportico's latest valuations
Nov 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; LAFC defender Aaron Long (33) celebrates after a goal by defender Ryan Hollingshead (24) in the second half against Seattle Sounders FC in a 2024 MLS Cup western conference semifinal match at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Five MLS franchises top $1 billion, with the average team worth $721 million, in Sportico’s valuations announced on Thursday.
Los Angeles FC again leads the 29-team league with a 2025 valuation of $1.28 billion, an 11 percent increase from a year ago.
The other four reaching the $1 billion plateau are superstar Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami ($1.19 billion; 17 percent increase), LA Galaxy ($1.11 billion; 11 percent increase); Atlanta United ($1.08 billion, 3 percent increase) and New York City FC ($1 billion, 19 percent increase).
Inter Miami and the Galaxy each moved up one spot from the 2024 rankings, with Atlanta United slipping two spots.
CF Montreal again ranked last at $450 million, which was a 2 percent increase.
The 29 franchises collectively are worth $20.9 billion, with the league adding San Diego FC this coming season. The average is a 6 percent increase from 2024.
Sportico defines the 2025 valuation as the sum of the current market value of an MLS franchise combined with the value of team-related businesses and real estate holdings.
Also factored in are other assets in the total value and club ownership stakes in MLS Next Pro teams (launched in 2022) and the National Women’s Soccer League teams in Houston, Orlando, Seattle and Utah.
Sportico’s research included publicly available information and financial records as well as interviews with sources knowledgeable of team finances.
The 2025 MLS franchise valuations ranking:
1. Los Angeles FC, $1.28 billion (+11 percent one-year value change)
2. Inter Miami FC, $1.19 billion (+17)
3. La Galaxy, $1.11 billion (+11)
4. Atlanta United, $1.08 billion (+3)
5. New York City FC, $1 billion (+19)
6. Austin FC, $865 million (+8)
7. Seattle Sounders FC, $825 million (+4)
8. Columbus Crew, $730 million (+12)
9. FC Cincinnati, $725 million (+12)
10. Toronto FC, $725 million (0)
11. Portland Timbers, $720 million (+1)
12. D.C. United, $720 million (0)
13. Charlotte FC, $705 million (+8)
14. Philadelphia Union, $700 million (+2)
15. St. Louis City SC, $655 million (+5)
16. Minnesota United FC, $655 million (+2)
17. Sporting Kansas City, $650 million (+3)
18. New York Red Bulls, $645 million (+5)
19. Nashville SC, $640 million (+1)
20. San Jose Earthquakes, $600 million (+7)
21. Houston Dynamo FC, $580 million (+5)
22. Chicago Fire FC, $575 million (+6)
23. FC Dallas, $540 million (+4)
24. Orlando City SC, $535 million (+6)
25. New England Revolution, $530 million (+6)
26. Real Salt Lake, $525 million (+3)
27. Colorado Rapids, $475 million (+3)
28. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, $470 million (0)
29. CF Montreal, $450 million (+2)
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chris Sale dominant as Braves keep Phillies in a funk
Apr 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Chris Sale worked seven strong innings and Mauricio Dubon provided a two-run single to lift the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
Sale (4-1) struck out seven and walked only one, giving up just one run and five hits. Austin Riley, Jonah Heim and Ozzie Albies each had two hits as Atlanta won for the eighth time in 10 games.
The Braves will look to complete a three-game sweep Sunday in the finale with the scuffling Phillies, who have dropped eight of 10. Philadelphia ace Cristopher Sanchez (2-2) gave up three unearned runs in six innings, yielding eight hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
The game began in exciting fashion, as Ronald Acuna Jr. sent a blast to deep center, only to watch Brandon Marsh leap at the wall to rob a home run.
In the second, Philadelphia’s Felix Reyes launched Sale’s 2-0 fastball over the wall in right field for a home run in his first major league at-bat. However, that was the only offensive highlight for the hosts.
Atlanta promptly bounced back with two runs in the third. Sanchez struck out the first two batters of the frame before the next three hitters reached, including Albies on an error by second baseman Edmundo Sosa.
Riley’s infield hit tied the game, then Dubon’s bloop increased the lead to 3-1.
Sale sat down the Phillies with minimal stress in the third, fourth and fifth innings. He then went through the heart of the Philadelphia order in the sixth, getting Kyle Schwarber on a comebacker to the mound, striking out Bryce Harper and inducing a popup by Adolis Garcia.
Sale struck out two more in the seventh before exiting after 101 pitches.
Dylan Lee took care of the eighth for Atlanta before Robert Suarez logged a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto exited due to lower back tightness. Rafael Marchan replaced Realmuto in the top of the seventh.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sei Young Kim rides ups, downs to hold lead at LA Championship
Aug 27, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Sei Young Kim hits out of bunker on the fifteenth green during the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images South Korea’s Sei Young Kim endured a rough back nine with four consecutive bogeys on Saturday but retained her lead after three rounds at the JM Eagle LA Championship in Tarzana, Calif.
Ranked No. 10 in the world, Kim had a one-shot lead entering the day and expanded that to two strokes with a 1-under-par 71 to move to 15-under 201 at El Caballero Country Club.
“Oh, wow, it’s feel like, yeah, roller coaster,” Kim said of her round. “I didn’t know still two-shot lead until the last hole. Yeah, after finish I look at the scoreboard and I still (hold a) two-shot lead. OK, one more day. Yeah, I’m going better tomorrow.”
Four players are tied for second at 13 under: Australia’s Hannah Green (5-under 67 on Saturday), Thailand’s Suvichaya Vinijchaitham (67), South Korea’s Ina Yoon (71) and Jessica Porvasnik (68).
Kim shot a blistering 31 on the front nine with five birdies (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) and four pars to get to 19 under for the tournament. The back nine, however, was a different story with four pars followed by bogeys at Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17 before a par on No. 18 for 40.
Kim had carded one bogey in a first-round 65 and followed with a bogey-free 65 on Friday.
She hit seven of 14 fairways on Saturday and 13 of 18 greens in regulation while totaling 28 putts.
“I don’t know forget about (the third round) because I want to keep thinking and then I want to why, why, why, why. I don’t want to make (it) happen again,” Kim said. “But it’s golf. It can be happen again. It’s learn and then learn and learn. Mistake and then learn, yeah. Hopefully, success (at the) end of the day tomorrow.”
Green’s adventurous 67 featured seven birdies and two bogeys. Vinijchaitham made eagle on the par-5 16th hole, and also have five birdies and two bogeys.
Yoon recorded four birdies and three bogeys, while Porvasnik carded seven birdies — including each of the last three holes — to counter a double bogey on the par-3 No. 9 and a bogey at the par-3 No. 15.
“I felt like I was playing pretty well,” Porvasnik said. “Had a hiccup on nine and just kind of kept grinding. Knew that just stay patient out there. It’s playing tough. To have the three birdies to close was just really nice.”
Kim, 33, owns 13 career LPGA victories, but just one in the past six years, at the BMW Ladies Championship last October.
Japan’s Chizzy Iwai had led after a course-record-tying 63 on Thursday, then carded a 68 on Friday to get to 13 under. She carded a 3-over 75 on Saturday to fall to 10 under and a tie for 10th.
Iwai made just one birdie, at the par-4 No. 13, and lost ground with bogeys at Nos. 2, 7, 17 and 18.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cedric Mullins, Rays outlast rain, Pirates in 13-inning win
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Cedric Mullins’ two-run leadoff home run in the top of the 13th inning made the difference in an 8-7 victory for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Pirates to end a marathon game in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
The four-hour, 12-minute game was the longest of the season in terms of innings played. It was extended by a two-hour, 27-minute weather delay.
Mullins had two hits and three RBIs and Jonny DeLuca had two hits and two RBIs to help the Rays rally from a 4-0 deficit before the delay and win for the seventh time in their past eight games. Mullins’ 403-foot homer to right field came off Yohan Ramirez (2-1).
The Pirates cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the 13th when Konnor Griffin singled home Jake Mangum. But Yoendrys Gomez recovered by striking out Joey Bart with runners on second and third to pick up his second career save and first of the season.
Chandler Simpson, Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda also had two hits each for Tampa Bay, which used seven relievers, capped by Griffin Jax (1-2) and Gomez.
Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna each hit two-run home runs off Rays starter Drew Rasmussen with two outs in the first and fourth innings, respectively, to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead. The game was halted by rain during the ensuing at-bat by Spencer Horwitz.
When play resumed, Cam Sanders took over for Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who threw four scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out five on 64 pitches.
The Rays scored five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
Sanders walked Hunter Feduccia to open the inning, but appeared ready to get through it unscathed after striking out Taylor Walls and Simpson.
Caminero roped a double to left that scored Feduccia to put the Rays on the board. It was the first of five consecutive hits for Tampa Bay as Aranda drove home Caminero with a single. Two batters later, Aranda and Yandy Diaz scored on a double by DeLuca off reliever Evan Sisk to tie the game at 4. Mullins then drove in the go-ahead run with a single.
–Field Level Media
