The sport that makes the most money overall is American football, specifically through the National Football League (NFL). The NFL generated about $18.7 billion in revenue in 2023, making it the most profitable sports league worldwide. A large portion of this revenue comes from lucrative broadcasting rights with major networks and streaming services, as well as massive fan engagement, merchandise sales, and the highly lucrative Super Bowl event
. Globally, soccer (football) is the most popular sport with an estimated 3.5 billion fans and generates enormous revenue through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandise, and major events like the FIFA World Cup. FIFA is expected to generate $11 billion during 2023-2026. The English Premier League alone has broadcasting deals exceeding $10 billion over three years. Star players also bring in huge endorsement deals, adding to the sport's financial power
. Other highly profitable sports include Major League Baseball (MLB), which generated around $11 billion in 2023, and the National Basketball Association (NBA), which pays the highest average player salaries and benefits from global merchandising and TV contracts. The NBA had an average player salary of about $10.5 million in 2023 and paid out over $4.68 billion in salaries
. In summary:
- Most revenue generated by a league: NFL (American football) with $18.7 billion in 2023
- Most globally popular and high total revenue: Soccer (football) with massive global fanbase and multi-billion dollar broadcasting deals
- Highest average player salaries: NBA basketball, with average salaries around $10.5 million annually
Thus, American football (NFL) leads in total money generated, soccer dominates globally in fanbase and revenue potential, and basketball (NBA) leads in player salaries.
