Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo / AP
Real Madrid have struck the hat trick. Forbes magazine has named the Spanish football giants the world's most valuable sports club for the third year in a row.
It is also a consolation goal - Real Madrid have just come off a disappointing season as rivals Barcelona re-asserted themselves in
La Liga and Champions League.
American franchises dominate the top 50 list. Crowd favourite Manchester United have slipped from third to fifth.
The top 15 (NZ dollars):
1) Real Madrid (football) $4.95b
2) Dallas Cowboys (gridiron) $4.85b
2) New York Yankees (baseball) $4.85b
4) Barcelona (football) $4.79b
5)Manchester United (football) $4.7b
6) Los Angeles Lakers (basketball) $3.94b
6) New England Patriots (gridiron) $3.94b
8) New York Knicks (basketball) $3.79b
9) Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball) $3.64b
9) Washington Redskins (gridiron) $3.64b
11) Bayern Munich (football) $3.56b
12) Boston Red Sox (baseball) $3.18b
12) New York Giants (gridiron) $3.18b
14) Chicago Bulls (basketball) $3.03b
14) San Francisco Giants (baseball) $3.03b
Others...
29) Manchester City (football) $2.11b
31) Chelsea (football) $2.08b
32) Ferrari (motor racing) $2.05b
36) Arsenal (football) $1.99b
37) Toronto Maple Leafs (ice hockey) $1.97m
