Share this on:

Description

Franchise value and ownership history

Franchise name/location history (most to least recent):
  • Detroit Red Wings
  • Detroit Falcons
  • Detroit Cougars

Franchise Valuation and Ownership History
All amounts in US$ unless otherwise noted.
Season   Value
(US$)
In today's
US$
Hockey Franchise
Valuation Rank
1926-27 $50,000 $826,836
Prior to the season, Lester and Frank Patrick sold the Victoria Cougars to the Townsend-Seyburn group for $50,000, originally called the Detroit Cougars. (It was sold for $100,000 according to the book So You Think You're a Detroit Red Wings Fan? / It was sold for $250,000 according to the book New York Rangers - Greatest Moments and Players)
Source(s): Book: Deceptions and Doublecross
1932-33 $100,000 $2,144,322
The Olympia in Detroit went into receivership and Arthur Wirtz and James Norris took it over for $2.5M and landed the Detroit Red Wings franchise in the deal for another $100,000.
Source(s): Book: The Devil and Bobby Hull
1982-83 $8,000,000 $24,265,285
In June 1982, Mike Illitch purchased the team from the Norris family for $8M (the whole transaction was $10M for the Detroit Red Wings (NHL), Adirondack Red Wings (AHL) and Kalamazoo Wings (IHL)). (According to the book Brian McFalane's History of Hockey, it was $9M and according to the book La glorieuse histoire des Canadiens, it was for $7M.)
Source(s): Book: Icing on the Plains / The Sporting News / The Hockey News / Book: The Russian Five / Book: So You Think You're a Detroit Red Wings Fan? / Forbes / La Presse
1991-92 $70,000,000 $150,444,232 1
Source(s): Financial World
1992-93 $87,000,000 $181,477,338 1
Source(s): Financial World
1993-94 $104,000,000 $210,721,307 1
Source(s): Financial World
1994-95 $124,000,000 $244,871,137 1
Source(s): Financial World
1995-96 $126,000,000 $242,027,825 1
Source(s): Financial World
1996-97 $146,000,000 $272,452,662 4
Source(s): Financial World
1998-99 $184,000,000 $330,389,547 4
Source(s): Forbes
1999-00 $194,000,000 $340,880,058 4
Source(s): Forbes
2000-01 $218,000,000 $370,549,361 3
Source(s): Forbes
2001-02 $225,000,000 $371,929,181 5
Source(s): Forbes
2002-03 $266,000,000 $432,834,112 1
Source(s): Forbes
2003-04 $245,000,000 $389,821,157 5
Source(s): Forbes
2004-05 $248,000,000 $384,315,968 5
Source(s): Forbes
2006-07 $258,000,000 $374,604,891 3
Source(s): Forbes
2007-08 $295,000,000 $416,448,828 3
Source(s): Forbes
2008-09 $303,000,000 $411,928,007 4
Source(s): Forbes
2009-10 $337,000,000 $459,773,935 4
Source(s): Forbes
2010-11 $315,000,000 $422,821,700 4
Source(s): Forbes / Book: Sports Economics
2011-12 $336,000,000 $437,215,257 4
Source(s): Forbes
2012-13 $346,000,000 $441,108,933 6
Source(s): Forbes
2013-14 $470,000,000 $590,526,271 9
Source(s): Forbes
2014-15 $570,000,000 $704,735,152 9
Source(s): Forbes
2015-16 $600,000,000 $740,950,131 8
Source(s): Forbes
2016-17 $625,000,000 $762,207,825 8
Source(s): Forbes
2017-18 $700,000,000 $835,876,305 9
Source(s): Forbes
2018-19 $775,000,000 $903,359,086 8
Source(s): Forbes
2019-20 $800,000,000 $915,903,935 8
Source(s): Forbes
2020-21 $775,000,000 $876,516,615 8
Source(s): Forbes
2021-22 $990,000,000 $1,069,273,063 9
According to Graeme Roustan, in The Hockey News, the value of the franchise without the arena was between $1.5B and $2B.
Source(s): Forbes
2022-23 $1,030,000,000 $1,030,000,000 11
According to Graeme Roustan, in The Hockey News, the value of the franchise without the arena was $1.8B. It was $1.12B according to Sportico.
Source(s): Forbes