Dallas Cowboys — Net Worth and Career Earnings
The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world according to Forbes' 2025 rankings, with a valuation of $10.1 billion — the first sports team to surpass $10 billion. Annual revenue of approximately $1.5 billion is driven by television rights, sponsorships, AT&T Stadium's enormous event capacity and the Cowboys' unparalleled brand recognition as "America's Team." The nickname, originally coined by an NFL Films editor in 1978, has proved accurate in commercial terms — the Cowboys are consistently the most-watched team in the NFL regardless of their on-field performance.
Jerry Jones purchased the Cowboys in 1989 for $140 million — then a record for a sports franchise — and has turned them into an unprecedented commercial operation. AT&T Stadium, which opened in 2009 at a cost of $1.3 billion, holds 100,000 fans and hosts major events including the Super Bowl, Big 12 Championship and major concerts. Jones negotiated the Cowboys' sponsorship deals independently from the NFL's centralised system, generating significantly higher rates than league-negotiated deals would produce. His tenure has produced five NFL championships though not since 1996, making his commercial brilliance and on-field frustrations one of American sports' most discussed contrasts.