Forbes: Lions One Of The Least Valuable NFL Teams
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
The Detroit Lions are worth $900 million, according to Forbes, which makes them the 28th most valuable team out of 32 franchises in the NFL.
The Lions are the only team in the league losing money, with an operating income of negative $3.5 million.
Detroit's NFC North Division peers are worth considerably more and reportedly making much more money than the Lions.
The Chicago Bears rank eighth of the valuation list, worth over $1.2 billion. The Bears' operating income is $63.2 million. The Green Bay Packers rank 12th, worth nearly $1.2 billion. Their operating income is $54.3 million. The Minnesota Vikings, at slightly over $1 billion, rank 21st, still significantly ahead of the Lions. The Vikings' operating income is $28 million.
The Lions, a team Detroiters love to hate -- the butt of jokes across the Midwest -- were 4-12 in 2012. But hopes are high for this year with Reggie Bush, Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, Ziggy Ansah and Ndamukong Suh on the roster.
The team plays in Ford Field, which cost $430 million to build 11 years ago through a combination of public and private funds. The Lions are owned by William Clay Ford, a member of one of the country's most prestigious families.
