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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 $855,650
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 $2,219,048
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 $25,110,881
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 $155,686,908 1
Source(s): Financial World
1992-93 $87,000,000 $187,801,454 1
Source(s): Financial World
1993-94 $104,000,000 $218,064,516 1
Source(s): Financial World
1994-95 $124,000,000 $253,404,399 1
Source(s): Financial World
1995-96 $126,000,000 $250,462,003 1
Source(s): Financial World
1996-97 $146,000,000 $281,947,083 4
Source(s): Financial World
1998-99 $184,000,000 $341,902,951 4
Source(s): Forbes
1999-00 $194,000,000 $352,759,035 4
Source(s): Forbes
2000-01 $218,000,000 $383,462,253 3
Source(s): Forbes
2001-02 $225,000,000 $384,890,156 5
Source(s): Forbes
2002-03 $266,000,000 $447,917,501 1
Source(s): Forbes
2003-04 $245,000,000 $403,405,632 5
Source(s): Forbes
2004-05 $248,000,000 $397,708,598 5
Source(s): Forbes
2006-07 $258,000,000 $387,659,110 3
Source(s): Forbes
2007-08 $295,000,000 $430,961,223 3
Source(s): Forbes
2008-09 $303,000,000 $426,282,861 4
Source(s): Forbes
2009-10 $337,000,000 $475,796,122 4
Source(s): Forbes
2010-11 $315,000,000 $437,556,177 4
Source(s): Forbes / Book: Sports Economics
2011-12 $336,000,000 $452,451,320 4
Source(s): Forbes
2012-13 $346,000,000 $456,480,683 6
Source(s): Forbes
2013-14 $470,000,000 $611,104,911 9
Source(s): Forbes
2014-15 $570,000,000 $729,293,740 9
Source(s): Forbes
2015-16 $600,000,000 $766,770,737 8
Source(s): Forbes
2016-17 $625,000,000 $788,769,218 8
Source(s): Forbes
2017-18 $700,000,000 $865,004,896 9
Source(s): Forbes
2018-19 $775,000,000 $934,839,313 8
Source(s): Forbes
2019-20 $800,000,000 $947,821,325 8
Source(s): Forbes
2020-21 $775,000,000 $907,061,437 8
Source(s): Forbes
2021-22 $990,000,000 $1,106,535,055 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 $1,065,893,406 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
2023-24 $1,200,000,000 $1,200,000,000 15
According to Graeme Roustan, in The Hockey News, the value of the franchise without the arena was $1.75B. It was $1.37B according to Sportico.
Source(s): Forbes