Sixers valued at $314M

THE SIXERS are valued at $314 million, 22nd in the NBA, according to Forbes magazine's annual valuations.

That represents a 5 percent drop from last year, when the team was valued at $330 million, which was 17th in the league.

Of course, in between, the team was sold by Comcast-Spectacor to an investment group led by billionaire Josh Harris for $280 million. The sale did not include the Wells Fargo Center, where the Sixers are a tenant, or Comcast SportsNet, which continues to broadcast the games.

According to Forbes, the Sixers are among seven teams that decreased in value from the previous year.

Overall, the average value of an NBA team rose 6.5 percent to $393 million. The increase can be attributed largely to new television contracts and the changes in the collective bargaining agreement. The players' share of basketball-related income dropped from 57 percent to between 49 percent and 51 percent.

The Lakers passed the Knicks as the most valuable franchise, at $900 million, an increase of 40 percent over the previous year. That increase is fueled by a new $20 million television deal with Time Warner for two regional sports channels - one in English and one in Spanish - that will feature the Lakers.

New York is second at $780 million (up 19 percent) followed by Chicago ($600 million, up 17), Dallas ($497 million, up 13), Boston ($482 million, up 7), and Miami ($457 million, up 8).

Milwaukee is at the bottom, with a value of $268 million.

The teams other than the Sixers whose value dropped are Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix, Utah, Detroit and Cleveland.