In Sportico’s third calendar year of existence, the staff took advantage of the numbers accumulated over more than 30 months to present comparisons of data over time that highlight the ever-changing nature of our industry. We also experimented with more colorful ways to present familiar datasets. Here are our favorite data visualizations we’ve published in the past 12 months (not including our franchise valuations wheels). Click on the headers to read the corresponding stories.
NFL Games Account for 75 of the 100 Most-Watched Broadcasts of 2021 (Jan. 7)
The NFL in 2021 effectively swallowed TV whole, accounting for 41 of the top 50 most-watched programs, and 75 of the top 100. In doing so, the league justified the huge rights-fee increases it brokered with its legacy partners.
Big Spending on Recruiting Pays Off for Georgia and Alabama (Jan. 10)
The College Football Playoff championship game once again featured two of the sport’s biggest spenders. Alabama and Georgia, however, separate themselves from the country’s richest teams in one particular category: recruiting.
Top Seeds Dominate March, But No. 11 Brings the Madness (March 16)
No. 1 seeds have performed extremely well historically, capturing 12 of the past 15 men’s basketball national championships, but it’s not always better to be a higher seed in March Madness. Amazingly, teams seeded No. 11 make it to the second week of the tournament more frequently than No. 8 and No. 9 seeds combined.
Saint Peter’s Win Over Kentucky Marks Historic NCAA Financial Upset (March 18)
Financially, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks’ win over Kentucky in the first round of March Madness is officially the biggest upset on record. In the 2019-20 school year, the most recent season unaffected by COVID-19, Kentucky outspent Saint Peter’s $18.3 million to $1.6 million in men’s basketball, per the U.S Department of Education.
Highest-Paid Athletes: 25 and Under Led by Allen, Osaka, Mbappe (May 17)
Twelve athletes age 25 and under made Sportico’s ranking of the world’s 100 best-paid stars with earnings of at least $30 million. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who has since turned 26, led the way with $66.5 million.
Aaron Donald’s $31.6M Salary an Outlier in QB-Focused NFL (June 21)
The Rams rewarded Super Bowl LVI hero Aaron Donald with a raise on the last three years of his contract, bringing his annual salary to $31.6 million and making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
NBA’s Recent Valuations Surge Still Can’t Match NFL Cash (Aug. 10)
From 2012 to 2021, NBA franchise values increased 387%, while the NFL, MLB and NHL were up 215%, 215% and 207%, respectively, each more or less in line with stock market growth. The NBA, however, still isn't close to catching the NFL, which has built a solid $1 billion cushion in terms of average value.
Cowboys Top Valuations, but Warriors and Pats Have Appreciated More (Aug. 11)
The New England Patriots climbed from the bottom half of the league in 1996 to become the second most valuable in 2021 and saw their worth increase by a greater percentage than any other NFL team. New England’s ascension still hasn’t been enough to catch the Dallas Cowboys, the most valuable U.S. sports team for 18 of the past 25 years.
The Honey Deuce Index: U.S. Open Drink Outpaces Inflation (Sept. 3)
The U.S. Open’s signature drink, a Grey Goose vodka-based cocktail made with Chambord (a black raspberry liquor) and freshly squeezed lemonade adorned with three pieces of honeydew melon (shaped like tennis balls), cost $22 this year, a 10% increase from 2021 and almost double the $12 price tag it carried when it made its debut in 2007.
Carlos Alcaraz Wins U.S. Open and No. 1 Ranking as Tennis Reboots (Sept. 12)
The 19-year-old Spanish tennis ace became the youngest player ever to rise to the top of the ATP world rankings, after just four different players were ranked No. 1 between February 2004 and February 2022.
Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2022: Osaka and Serena Score Nearly $90M (Oct. 27)
Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams played only 30 matches between the two of them in 2022, as injuries and extended breaks kept them off the court. But the two tennis aces remained the biggest draws for brands looking to reach a global audience through female sports stars.
Yankees Sign Aaron Judge to 9-Year, $360 Million Contract (Dec. 7)
Aaron Judge, a product of the Yankees’ farm system who broke Roger Maris’ American League and the club’s single-season home run record by hitting 62 during the 2022 season, turned down a $213.5 million, seven-year offer this past spring. That figure seems paltry now that he’s agreed to a nine-year, $360 million contract to return to the Yankees.
Warriors Eye Disney Model as NBA Valuation Records Fall (Dec. 12)
The new Chase Center turbocharged the Warriors’ business, but the full scope wasn’t realized until last season after two years impacted by COVID-19. Revenue from sponsorships ($150 million) and premium seating ($250 million) were more than double any other NBA franchise. Per-game ticket revenue was 35% higher.
Mets, Cohen Stun With Correa Signing En Route to Payroll Tax Record (Dec. 21)
The 2022 collective bargaining agreement added a fourth tier to its luxury tax thresholds that was nicknamed the “Cohen tax” by many. It calls for an 80% tax on payrolls over $290 million. The New York Mets’ $113 million projected tax in 2023, according to salary tracker Spotrac, would be $70 million higher than the previous record.
NBA on Pace for Best Offensive Season Ever in 2022-23 (Dec. 22)
Back in 2015, teams scored 105.8 points per 100 possessions. Since then, the all-time league record for a season has fallen four times. Last year, teams produced 112.3 points per 100 possessions, and roughly one-third of the way through this season that number is 113.3.