exelone31 wrote:I think that just shows how much the focus has been on the "brand" of the Dallas Cowboys. I haven't looked much into it, but I'm wondering how much television revenue plays into the valuations. While we (Americans) have access to view pretty much all the Premier League games, I've heard that television access is far more limited in the UK, which is a bit ironic. Contrast that with the NFL, which brings in a boatload with broadcast rights, I'm sure that helps a lot.
Oh yes, no doubt that's a big part of their valuation I'm sure.
On a slightly related note, I really feel like American sports, in general, focus more on the money-making and business side of the game, rather than the sport itself. It was pretty apparent to me when I was watching some of the world cup games recently. For instance, in Soccer, when they say the game is 90 minutes long, they mean it is 90 minutes, and the only time you will get commercials is during half-time (which is the way it should be). American sports are entirely different and there are plenty of breaks/pauses during the game, which gives plenty of time for television watchers to sit through ads, and the people watching the game live have time to grab a snack or a drink. Our sports just really feel like they are designed around the money making aspect more than international sports.
Another interesting difference is the way the fans cheer for their teams. Every soccer team feels like they have history with their respective communities and they have their own unique chants, which is something you don't see here. There are definitely die-hard sports fans here too, but it feels like the whole spectacle of watching a sports game here is designed so that people who aren't necessarily a fan of the game can still enjoy themselves (half-time shows, prizes given away during the break, shops/restaurants in the arena itself).
Anyway, I'm going off on a bit of a tangent here, but it's something I've noticed when watching sports from here versus other countries.