Ranking the Most Valuable Pro Sports Franchises in the State of Illinois

The value of pro sports franchises are exploding across the United States. Look no further than the recent sales of the NBA’s Boston Celtics ($6.1 billion) and Los Angeles Lakers ($10 billion), or the attempted partial-stake sale of the New York Giants, who are hoping for their own $10 billion valuation.

With teams across a bunch of different flagship markets in the United States selling for more money than ever, that got us thinking: Which franchises in Illinois have the highest valuations? After all, the state’s pro teams are located in Chicago, one of the USA’s most premier sports markets. When you factor in how long ago sports betting Illinois became legal along with some of the TV media rights deals floating around out there, we can only assume numerous Chicago franchises are multi-billion dollar entities at this point. 

This presumption is already proving correct in Major League Baseball. The Chicago White Sox are in the process of transferring majority ownership from Jerry Reinsdorf (who also owns the Chicago Bulls) to Justin Ishbia. The conversion will happen over the next few years, but at this writing, the White Sox shares owned by Reinsdorf received a valuation of $1.9 billion, according to Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. That is quite a bit more than the $19 million he paid for them. 

More importantly, this valuation puts the White Sox in the multi-billion-dollar franchise club. Which of Chicago’s other organizations join them? And which team is worth the most halfway through the year 2025? 

Let’s go ahead and find out.

1. Chicago Bears (NFL): $6.40 Billion

This will come as no surprise to anyone who even tangentially follows pro sports. The National Football League prints money as the most popular league in North America. And the Chicago Bears are one of the NFL’s original squads. Their longevity and location serve to boost their value relative to other Chi-Town peers.

Somewhat stunningly, though, they are just the ninth most valuable team in the NFL, according to Forbes’ catalog of valuations (from which all of our franchise numbers come). That is fairly low considering the market in which the Bears reside.

Then again, over 70 percent of their value is derived from the business of football. Given that they have not won a playoff game since 2010, their business of football has seen better days. It is a testament to their brand—and the loyalty of the fanbase—that they remain firmly inside the NFL’s top 10, as well as atop the pedestal of all Chicago sports.

2. Chicago Bulls (NBA): $5.00 Billion

Checking in at $5 billion, we have the Chicago Bulls. And you know what? While this might be their valuation, we are betting they would get more if Reinsdorf put them on the market today. 

Not only have hedge funds flocked toward purchasing major stakes in NBA franchises at over-the-top sticker prices, but the Celtics just set the benchmark for teams in premier markets outside of Los Angeles by selling for over $6 billion.

Of course, much like the Bears, the Bulls aren’t doing themselves any favors with the product they put in front of fans. They have made the playoffs just twice in the past 10 years, and they have not won a playoff series since 2015.

Fetching this $5 billion number nevertheless shouldn’t be a problem—if they are ever for sale, that is. Many fans would love it if Reinsdorf sold the team. But he has shown more of an affinity for the Bulls than the White Sox. And, well, that’s not really surprising. NBA teams tend to be more lucrative long-term investments, and the Bulls continue to benefit from the mystique of Michael Jordan and the six championships they won with him all these years later. 

3. Chicago Cubs (MLB): $4.60 Billion

After one of the longest championship droughts professional sports has ever seen, the Chicago Cubs nabbed a first World Series title in 2016—their first since all the way back in 1908! The franchise’s value has been on a steady climb ever since.

Indeed, this $4.6 billion valuation represents a year-over-year increase of 9 percent, which is pretty staggering. Especially when you consider the Cubs haven’t returned to the playoffs since 2020.

Still, this is yet another uber-strong brand on the Chicago sports market. The Cubs have been up and running, in some form, since 1876. That longevity in a flagship market is basically unprecedented—even when accounting for the Bears.

4. Chicago Blackhawks (NHL): $2.45 Billion

There was a time when no one could have envisioned the Chicago Blackhawks cracking a multi-billion-dollar valuation. We are not talking about when teams didn’t sell for that kind of money, either.

Yet, the Blackhawks did themselves a serious favor by rattling off three Stanley Cup Finals victories between 2010 and 2015. They are now the seventh-most valuable franchise in the NHL. What’s more, despite toiling away in relative futility for the past seven or eight years, the Blackhawks’ value continues to skyrocket.

Between 2024 and 2025, in fact, the team’s valuation increased by over 31 percent. They could be working off a three-peat in the Stanley Cup Finals, and that kind of increase would still be bonkers.

5. Chicago White Sox (MLB): $2.00 Billion

Rounding out the list of five are the White Sox. As we already mentioned, Reinsdorf agreed to sell the majority stake that he owns with the franchise getting an overall valuation of $1.9 billion. In the span of a few months, the organization’s overarching value has shot up to $2 billion.

This continued ascent comes at a time when the White Sox have failed to make the MLB playoffs in each of the past three seasons. And that drought is about to become four. 

Sure, this speaks to the White Sox’s fairly rich history and, of course, the Chicago market. But it is also a sign of the times at large. Pro sports franchises are on the rise across the United States, and the year-over-year increases are even more pronounced in primetime markets like The Windy City.