Most of the headline news for the NBA …

Most of the headline news for the NBA has not been flattering the past few months. Television ratings are down, with injured stars sidelined; business with China is in jeopardy over a tweet from Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey; and in New York, the league’s biggest market, the Knicks are going through a seventh consecutive losing season while their owner feuds with fans. But our research shows the business of basketball is still red hot. NBA franchise values continue to soar, up 14% in the past year to an average of $2.12 billion. Compare that with an 11% annual increase for NFL teams and 8% in Major League Baseball, with average values of $2.86 billion and $1.78 billion, respectively. NBA values are up nearly sixfold over the past decade.