Edmonton Oilers among most profitable sports teams in the world
The Edmonton Oilers had no problem turning a profit this past season.
Last December, Forbes ranked the Edmonton franchise as being worth an estimated $3.2 billion, ranking fourth in the NHL behind the Toronto Maple Leafs ($4.4 billion), New York Rangers ($4 billion), and Montreal Canadiens ($3.4 billion).
That is an impressive result for a team based in northern Alberta, and one that has absolutely been helped by the Oilers’ recent success as well as boasting two of the league’s biggest stars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
However, that isn’t all that the Oilers have been doing right on the business side of things. Forbes also calculated the profits of sports teams around the world, and the Oilers wound up ranking as the most profitable NHL team and tied for third-most overall.Ā
The Oilers reportedly brought in a whopping $244 million in profit last season, which was tied with the NFL’s LA Rams.
A look at the world's most profitable sports teams in 2026 š°
via Forbes pic.twitter.com/hVgdSPtcR6
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 16, 2026
The only sports teams to eclipse the Oilers were the NBA’s Golden State Warriors ($409 million) and the top-ranked Dallas Cowboys of the NFL ($629 million). The closest NHL team was the Maple Leafs, who ranked ninth on the list at $191 million.
Some notable teams that the Oilers beat out include the Mercedes Formula 1 team, which came in fourth at $227 million, and the NFL’s New England Patriots, who followed in fifth at $227 million. Shockingly, the closest soccer team was Manchester United, which was all the way down at 11th at $185 million.
The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, which are reportedly being sold for a record-setting $12.5 billion, weren’t all that close to the Oilers at $170 million.
It seems surprising that an Edmonton-based sports team can pull in more profit than some of the most iconic franchises across multiple sports, but the proof is in the pudding. The skyrocketing profits have recently bumped Oilers owner Daryl Katz’s up 63 spots on Forbes’ latest billionaire ranking.
The focus will be turning those profits into championships, as the Stanley Cup has remained elusive for McDavid and the Oilers in recent years.