Cowboys top Forbes list of of world's most valuable franchises, Yankees advance to second

The estimated value of the Dallas Cowboys grew by "only" 5%, but the team maintained its perch atop "The World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams" published by Forbes on Wednesday. 

The Cowboys, worth an estimated $4.2 billion with an operating annual income of $300 million, are one of 29 NFL teams that made the list. The New York Yankees moved up two spots from a year ago to No. 2 with an estimated value of $3.7 billion. 

The others in the top 5 were soccer clubs: 3. Manchester United ($3.69 billion), 4.  Barcelona ($3.64 billion) and Real Madrid ($3.58 billion). 

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Eight MLB teams and seven NBA team -- led by the New York Knicks ($3.3 billion) --- made the cut.  There were no NHL or NASCAR teams on the list. 

This year's list actually included 51 teams since there was a tie for No. 50 between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Angels at $1.75 billion. 

The Los Angeles Rams made the most year-over-year gains thanks to the franchise relocating from St. Louis to Southern California. The Rams, who returned to L.A. for the 2016 season, didn't make the top 50 a year ago, but were No. 12 on this year's list. 

“Relocations and new stadiums are fueling big increases in the value of NFL teams, with the Cowboys the economic model every franchise hopes to match,” Kurt Badenhausen, senior editor at Forbes Media, said in a statement.  “(Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones turned a money-losing franchise into the most profitable sports franchise in the world as AT&T Stadium generates the highest sponsorship and premium seating revenue in the sport.”