KNICKS top FORBES List due to Ticket Sales and Sponsorships.....LAKERS and BULLS round out TOP 3.....Who Lost Money on the LIST?

FORBES MAGAZINE came out with it's annual TOP MONEY List for NBA TEAMS for 2011 Today. The Top 3 TEAMS are the KNICKS, LAKERS, and BULLS.

KNICKS are due to a rise in TICKET SALESA due largely in part to adding Amare' STAT STOUDAMIRE and an increase in SPONSORSHIPS for the aforementioned pickup of STAT.

The LAKESHOW steady rise in CASH is from their latest CHAMPIONSHIP RUN and some would even argue that they are a TOP 3 in all of SPORTS.

The BULLS are in a good position having the MJ RUN of 6 which ranks 3rd on the NBA List behind the CELTS and LAKESHOW, and of course the recent run of good fortune of ticket sales and one DERRICK ROSE, the homegrown product from SIMEON HS on the SOUTHSIDE of CHI-CITY.

But there were some teams that lost some DINERO in the last season due in large part of the ECONOMY and the state of their FRANCHISE.

Here is the list from #1 -#30 with Percent of VALUE CHANGE + or -:

TEAM / $ MILLIONS / 1-yr Value Change in %

1. KNICKS / 655 / 12 / STAT TICKET SALES
2. LAKERS / 643 / 6 / CHAMPIONSHIPS
3. BULLS / 511 / 0 / TICKET SALES
4. CELTICS / 452 / 5 / CHAMPIONSHIPS/TICKET SALES
5. ROCKETS / 443 / -6 / LOST OF YAO/ SALES DOWN
6. MAVERICKS / 438 / -2 / CONSISTETNLY AVERAGE PRODUCT
7. HEAT / 425 / 17 / WADE BOSH JAMES
8. SUNS / 411 / -4 / NO CHAMPIONSHIPS RUN IN SIGHT
9. SPURS / 404 / 1 / TOP RUN FRANCHISE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
10. RAPTORS / 399 / 3 / NEEDS TO MOVE STATESIDE TO REALY TAKEOFF
11. MAGIC / 385 / 6 / DWIGHT HOWARD/NEW ARENA
12. WARRIORS /315 / 15 / NEW OWNERSHIP/NEW ARENA SOON/ELLIS/CURRY
13. PISTONS / 360 / -25 / OWNERSHIP CHANGING HANDS/PRODUCT NOT GOOD/MOTOR CITY ECONOMY
14. TRAIL BLAZERS / 355 / 5 / VERY GOOD OWNERSHIP/PORTLAND'S ONLY PRO FRANCHISE
15. CAVS / 355 / -26 / KING JAMES SKIPPING TOWN.....PERIOD
16. JAZZ / 343 / 0 / VERY GOOD NBA CITY/ORGANIZATION
17. 76ERS / 330 / -4 / CITY NEEDS NBA TEAM TO STEP UP LIKE FLYERS AND PHILS/BAD PRODUCT
18. THUNDER /329 / 6 / UP AND COMING FRANCHISE/OKC ONLY PRO FRANCHISE
19. WIZARDS /322 / 3 / TED LEONSIS VERY GOOD BUSINESS MAN
20. NUGGETS / 316 / -2 / CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE 'MELO
21. NETS / 312 / 16 / RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE PHROKOROV/NEW ARENA MOVE TO BROOKLYN
22. CLIPPERS / 305 / 3 / BLAKE GRIFFIN/STAPLES CENTER/LOS ANGELES ALL POSITIVES
23. HAWKS / 295 / -4 / NOT A GOOD SPORTS CITY
24. KINGS / 293 / -4 / MALOOFS' MIGHT NEED TO MOVE TO MAXIMIZE PROFITABLITY
25. BOBCATS / 281 / 1 / JORDAN NEEDS GOOD PRODUCT ON FLOOR / GREAT CITY
26. HORNETS / 280 / 5 / EXCELLENT CITY FOR A REBUILDING GREAT CITY/STAY IN NAWLINS
27. PACERS / 269 / -4 / COLTS NEED TO START LOSING AND PACERS NEED TO START WINNING
28. GRIZZLIES / 266 / 4 / MEMPHIS NEEDS A BOOST SOMEWHERE.....A MIX OF COMMUNITY/TEAM
29. T'WOLVES / 264 / -1 / YOUNG ROSTER...STILL AILING FROM LOSS OF BIG TICKET GARNETT
30. BUCKS / 258 / 2 / SMALL MARKET/MIGHT NEED NEW ARENA/A HUGE STAR PLAYER NEEDED


AS YOU SEE THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN MARKET SIZE AND PROFITABILTY. SOME OF THESE FRANCHISES NED TO START OVER AND MAYBE IN NEW CITIES OR WITH A BETTER PRODUCT. BUT IN MOST CASES ...AT LEAST IN THE ASSOCIATION.......MARKET SIZE IS HUGE WHEN TALKING MONEY AND INCREASED REVENUE.