Explained: F1’s billion-dollar value as ‘most valuable sports empire’

F1 has been listed as the “most valuable sports empire” in the world by Forbes.

30 Jan 2023

Liberty Media, who own F1, are valued at $21 billion (£16.8bn), pricier than the ownership groups that Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United belong to.

F1 itself is valued at $17.1 billion (£13.8bn).

Forbes’ top 10 most valuable sports empires

1: Liberty Media (Formula 1, Atlanta Braves, Drone Racing League, Meyer Shank Racing) – $20.8bn

2: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (Arsenal FC, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids) – $12.75bn

3: Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys, The Star) – $11.32bn

4: Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool FC, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins) – $10.4bn

5: Madison Square Garden Sports (New York Knicks, New York Rangers) – $9.17bn

6: The Kraft Group (New England Patriots, New England Revolution, UFC) – $7.94bn

7: Yankee Global Enterprises (New York Yankees) – $7.64bn

8: Glazer Family (Manchester United, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – $7.53bn

9: Paul G. Allen Trust (Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers) – $7.41bn

10: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC) – $6.42bn

Forbes wrote: “Liberty Media’s sports empire, worth $21 billion, sits on top. Headed by billionaire John Malone, Liberty’s primary sports assets are the Formula One auto-racing circuit (enterprise value: $17.1 billion) and the Atlanta Braves MLB team ($2.1 billion).

“Formula One had a banner 2022, averaging 1.21 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks, the highest on record for the series, and signed a new television deal in June reportedly worth at least $75 million a year, 15 times its previous deal.

“No wonder Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund considered acquiring Formula One for $20 billion last year, according to Bloomberg.”

The reported bid from Saudi Arabia has caused a stir in F1.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA president, has been criticised by F1 for involving himself in the matter in a series of tweets.

Ben Sulayem is also at the centre of a controversy to potentially allow new teams into F1 for 2026.

Separately, The Times reported that the FIA president made sexist remarks on an old, personal website.