Top 10 Best Sports Franchises in the World

People should keep in mind that if the Yankees don't have the most championships in the world, they have by far the most among teams that play once a season. Manchester United is the only franchise that comes close, and even then, they don't really have an offseason. They compete for multiple different championships, whereas the Yankees compete for just one and have won it a staggering 27 times.

Also, the World Series is a world championship. Although most Europeans say it isn't, name one baseball team outside of North America that is better than any team in the MLB. The answer is a big fat zero. So, yes, if you're the best in the MLB, you're the best baseball team in the world. MLB has been having games played in different territories, such as London (where Europeans got to witness the greatest rivalry in sports, Yankees vs. Red Sox), but if any of those territories got a team to play in the MLB, they would absolutely suck.

The Yankees only have one shot at a world championship per year, and they win them at a staggering rate. They had 39 winning seasons in a row from 1926 to 1964 and have had an above .500 team every year since 1993. Those 39 years of winning records is a record that has never been remotely threatened by anyone else, except by themselves.

And that is why the Yankees are the greatest sports club in the world. Literally, all they do is win.

Anyone not saying Manchester United is an idiot. The Dallas Cowboys were born in the 1960s? So? United, or Newton Heath, have a history dating back to 1878. They ARE the highest value club in the world with over 330 (est) million supporters worldwide.

The Yankees' name is known more, but that does not make them more popular.

No one can argue that Manchester United is the richest club in the world. It's a fact proven by Forbes. So, this is really a stupid debate.

Without question, Manchester United is the greatest sports franchise in the world. Simple facts spell that out. The highest revenue of ALL Sports. Largest fan base of ALL sports. Largest TV audience worldwide of ALL Sports. Is this just a small-minded American thing to think the Yankees are even comparable to Manchester United? Laughable.

Been a Dallas Cowboy fan since the Cotton Bowl and a season ticket holder. Cowboys are the very best! Win or lose, the Dallas Cowboys are America's team! The world watches when the Dallas Cowboys play! Go Cowboys!

I haven't seen one Manchester United fan that has their ride or crib tricked out in support of their team like how those boys are repping it up in the Triple D. More people around the world watch the Super Bowl as opposed to whatever soccer is doing.

How about them Cowboys... DC4L.

The Dallas Cowboys have and always will be America's Team! Plenty of fans and plenty of haters! How about them Cowboys!

Best franchise of all time! No question. It has produced three of the top five best basketball players of all time, and they market well and don't spend double what other franchises do to win (Yankees). Manchester should be disqualified because they play real football, which is by far the most popular sport in the world. And the Cowboys should be disqualified because they are in the NFL, which just proves how misguided Americans are, just wanting to be different and having a sport that no one else plays.

The Canadiens are the best hockey franchise of all time, bar none. 24 Cups, 61 Hall-of-Fame inductees, 17 retired numbers, and millions of loyal fans worldwide!

Simple fact: 24 championships. Beat that, Broncos! It's very obvious that this poll is answered by mainly narrow-minded people, i.e., Yanks.

Let's be real. Three words: iconic, historic, victorious. Nobody even comes close.

You can travel to any city in the country and are most likely to see some Steelers gear over any other franchise.

I've traveled the world, and there's always a Steelers fan and their apparel everywhere.

They are the best football team of all time!

With football and American football being the 1st and 2nd most-watched sports in the world, the best sports franchise has to be a team from one of these two sports. Therefore, the only real choices here are Manchester United Football Club, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.

But, I'm an American and I live in Wisconsin, so the choice is a simple one.

While the Yankees are obviously the most "storied" sports franchise in the U.S., the Packers rank very close, with far less negative "drama," Brett Favre notwithstanding. Owned by the fans and operating in the smallest of markets, there's something very down-to-earth about the Packers that's undeniable!

How can you not have Dodger Blue higher on this list, knowing that they bring a rich tradition in sports history? They should be up there with the Yankees in terms of baseball, generally speaking.

Therefore, the Boys in Blue should be ranked higher, no doubt.

Really? I'm surprised to see the Dodgers ranked so low on this list. They need to be in the top 3.

The Patriots are arguably the best sports franchise, especially because they are still making smart moves and succeeding, while the other teams on this list are only mentioned due to past achievements. We keep winning, and you're mad.

Dominant for 18 years with 9 appearances in the Super Bowl and 6 wins! This is crazy stupid rankings.

Most progressive team in sports history. First NBA team to start five black players and the first of the four major US sports to have a black coach. Not to mention, they have the most titles in NBA history. Thanks to Danny Ainge (and Billy King, thank you Nets), they are poised to fight for a title in the years to come. Also, is there anyone cooler, a better defender, a better teammate, or a better sacrificer for the team in NBA history than Bill Russell?

Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Kevin McHale, Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Bob Cousy, Robert Parish, Sam Jones, JoJo White, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Dennis Johnson, Tom Heinsohn, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Nate Archibald, Bill Sharman, Bailey Howell, Cedric Maxwell, Danny Ainge, Isaiah Thomas, Reggie Lewis, Don Nelson, Tom Sanders, Ed Macauley, Frank Ramsey, K.C. Jones, Bill Walton, Pete Maravich, Antoine Walker; '57, '59-'66, '68, '69, '74, '76, '81, '84, '86, '08.

I like the Celtics. I'm not the biggest fan, but I am one. It doesn't take a scientist to be able to read this list and figure out that it's STACKED. This is just the grease on the surface. There are so many more names and years that can be added.

Now, I know they're not the Yankees, but, I mean, come on. It's the BOSTON CELTICS! They are easily the number two franchise in sports history. They won ten championships in a row, and that wasn't even with the greatest team they've ever had! Who does that?! Well, besides the Yankees.

I'm surprised, disappointed, and perturbed that y'all have the Celtics this low in your ranking. I hope this helped explain my argument of the success in the last 70 years.

-Boogie

Winningest NFL franchise before 1998, 3 Super Bowls, 5 AFC championships, 22 Hall of Famers.

We hold the highest winning percentage in NBA history.

Gregg Popovich is the greatest and most valuable coach in league history.

We managed to give the NBA the big three of Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan while still showing top-class ball movement and team involvement.

If we are talking about the best franchises in all of sports, the Spurs should at least be in the top 10, AT LEAST.

Spurs, at 20? Really? What is this, some "popularity contest"? Sheesh. If you had the chance to ask ANY front-office person, "What one sports franchise in the world would you most want to model your product after?" THIS would be your answer: "The Spurs. No doubt."

I'm from Montreal and don't have an NBA team, so whenever I watch, I always go with my fellow Northerners.

The winged wheel just keeps rolling. No need to change brands. Honestly, I liked going to the "Joe" when the Wings sucked. Hands down the greatest sports fans and atmosphere of all time. When they started to dominate in the mid-nineties, the big corporations bought gobs of tickets and gave them to image-minded folks, which made it a little "stuffy" at the games.

The history is storied too. Howe did more for youth hockey than anyone. Yzerman and what all those guys did for Vladimir Konstantinov. What other US team is full of home-state players? That stems from the foundation Howe laid.

Definitely should be higher. They have had many greats and are often contenders in the postseason.

This is a pathetic list. How can it be that there are 14 MLB, NFL, and NBA teams over the second-best football club in the world (Real Madrid)? If anything, this list should consist mainly of football teams considering football is the most popular sport in the world.

Please, if Manchester United is there, how could Real Madrid not be at the very top of it? The biggest football club in history. Just check their trophies, history, and players.

Their number of trophies, not just in La Liga but in international play, and beating the best teams in different leagues makes them #1.

Should be much higher. Everyone tuned into Bulls games in the '90s just to see Jordan and his amazing plays.