The financial numbers are in, and they are staggering.
Tim Kawakami of The Athletic profiled the Warriors' revenue projections at Chase Center, and here is one of the main takeaways:
Starting this inaugural Chase season, it’s estimated that the Warriors will take in about $700 million in annual revenue for the foreseeable future.
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This about $250-300 million more than the Knicks or Lakers, the next-highest NBA teams, and possibly more than even any NFL team, “except maybe the Cowboys,” one source said. Actually, in 2018, Forbes estimated that the Cowboys took in about $950 million in annual revenue, so the Warriors aren’t there.
Holy moly.
It's no wonder that Forbes gave the Warriors a franchise valuation of an estimated $3.5 billion earlier this year.
And it's no wonder that Warriors owner Joe Lacob told Kawakami in February that Golden State "can do whatever we want" financially.
Golden State Warriors
Rick Welts, the Warriors' President and COO, told Bloomberg's "Business of Sports" podcast in late March: "We'll be opening the building with something like $2 billion in contractually-obligated income," which is more than double what the franchise originally projected.
From corporate sponsorships, to ticket sales, to merchandise sales, to concerts, to real estate revenue, the money already is pouring in.
[RELATED: Dubs fans shouldn't want lottery pick over first-round exit]
This is why the Warriors will have the ability to spend whatever is necessary (within the salary cap rules) on the roster and chase the biggest free agents.
Happy opening night.
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