According to Forbes' Kurt Badenhausen, Michael Ozanian and Christina Settimi, the Sixers had the third largest jump in NBA franchise value over the past year.
Forbes values the Sixers at $2 billion, a 21 percent increase. The Sixers are listed at 11th in value, with the Knicks ($4.6 billion), Lakers ($4.4 billion) and Warriors ($4.3 billion) the top three franchises. The NBA champion Raptors had the largest increase in value at 25 percent.
The authors note that “the NBA’s demographics and international prospects make it an attractive property for potential buyers." They highlight a recent MarketCast poll showing the NBA as the favorite major American sports league, with the NBA leading in the 18-34 demographic and on top in the 13-17 demographic by a wide margin (57 percent compared to 13 percent for the NFL).
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This season, the Sixers lead the NBA in attendance and have a league-best 24-2 home record. They were first in attendance last year, as well.
Beginning next season, Joel Embiid, Al Horford, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris are all set to make at least $26.5 million each year through 2022-23, which means the Sixers will likely need to pay the luxury tax.
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