Golden State Warriors have the most valuable brand in the NBA with a value of US$712 million
The San Francisco-based team have become the world’s most valuable basketball brand after winning their seventh championship earlier this year - four of which have been won since 2015.
Several NBA records held by the Golden State Warriors have contributed to a positive brand perception and to the strength of the brand. These include best regular season, most wins in a season and best post season run.
The Golden State Warriors achieved a brand strength index of 86.1/100 which corresponds to an AAA brand strength rating. This is greater than the strongest NFL brand, the LA Rams (BSI 84.0), and similar to the likes of McDonalds and PayPal.
The Brand Finance NBA Rankings demonstrate that success on the court is important but investing in marketing and merchandising whilst proactively engaging with fans is vital for brand success. Strong brands can help maintain revenue for teams whether performing well on the court or not, ensuring long term sustainability and ultimately increasing their chances of success.
Hugo Hensley, Head of Sports Services, Brand Finance
Brand Finance has individually valued every NBA team, the first time that a brand valuation has been publicly applied to NBA teams in accordance with international standards.
In second place, with a US$693 million brand value, is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have an extremely loyal and large fanbase, has invested heavily in marketing and merchandising opportunities, and is associated with a range of global superstars from Magic Johnson and Lebron James, to the late Kobe Bryant. The Lakers brand strength is a very strong 85.4/100, which also correlates to a AAA brand strength rating.
The New York Knicks (brand value US$332 million) is in 3rd place. However, the Knicks also have the largest following with 13% of NBA fans stating the Knicks are their favourite team.
The Chicago Bulls (brand value US$332 million) and the Boston Celtics (brand value US$331 million) are in 4th and 5th place, respectively.