Sports Teams That Have Way Too Much Money

There are a lot of uber-rich sports teams out there, thanks to continued popularity and television megadeals.

Each year, Forbes releases a list of the 50 most valuable teams in the world. The following 12 teams are all on the 2015 edition, so we already know they are in the top echelon of sports franchises worldwide.

Here are a few things these teams have done to further indicate their extravagant spending. For instance, did Manchester United actually fly on the Rolling Stones' private jet? Did the Los Angeles Angels really use a helicopter to dry off their field?

Must be nice.

Los Angeles Angels

Forbes value: $1.3 billion

In addition to a valuation in the billion-dollar range, the Los Angeles Angels also have no time for rainouts. The team experienced its first one since 1995 recently, and it enlisted the help of a police helicopter to dry off the field. The chopper blades basically acted like a big fan in preparation for an upcoming doubleheader.

According to Braden Campbell of Boston.com, the Angels paid for the use of the helicopter, and had an actual emergency happened, it would have been called away immediately.

Seattle Seahawks

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Forbes value: $1.33 billion

The Seattle Seahawks aren't the most valuable NFL franchise, but their owner is the richest. With a net worth of $17.5 billion, Paul Allen not only owns the Seattle Seahawks, but also the Portland Trailblazers and (part of) the Seattle Sounders.

According to Madeline Stone of Business Insider, Allen threw a huge bash for the Seahawks in 2014 when the team brought home a Super Bowl victory. Apparently the party was no quiet affair—Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed.

Indianapolis Colts

Forbes value: $1.4 billion

In the grand scheme of sports team values, one little video game console doesn't seem like it would break the bank. Then again, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay didn't buy one Xbox—he bought one Xbox for every player on his team.

If you recall, the Xbox One was a hot commodity for Christmas 2013. Given the difficulty in securing the $499 console, who knows? Irsay may have had to shell out a lot more on the secondary market.

It was a nice gesture, certainly, but it also takes a pretty penny to buy that kind of gift for 50-plus employees. 

San Francisco 49ers

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Forbes value: $1.6 billion

San Franciscans are all about energy efficiency, so it's no wonder the San Francisco 49ers included a solar-powered rooftop garden on their new $1.3 billion stadium.

The garden offers private party space, and the solar energy panels helped the team gain LEED Gold certification status.

Boston Red Sox

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Forbes value: $2.1 billion

In February 2014, Boston Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino said he is "proud of the difference" between his team and the New York Yankees when it comes to spending.

According to Steven Marcus of Newsday, Lucchino said, "I always cringe when people lump us together. Other baseball teams sometimes do that. They are still, this year at least, relying heavily on their inimitable old-fashioned Yankees style of high-priced, long-term free agents. And, uh, I can't say that I wish them well, but I think that we've taken a different approach."

Right.

A year later, the Red Sox spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 million in the offseason, notably giving Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval $88 million and $95 million contracts, respectively.

When you can binge on guys who don't work out, dump the salary and do the same thing a few years later, you've got too much money.

Bayern Munich

Forbes value: $2.35

Bayern Munich is fourth on the list of richest soccer teams (behind Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Manchester United), but $2.35 billion is still a lot of cash money.

In August, the team showed off its wealth with not only a new team bus, but also an extravagant reveal for the new ride. The video pretty much says it all, but I do wonder, who are the people who actually showed up for this ridiculous ceremony?

Los Angeles Dodgers

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Forbes value: $2.4 billion

Not only did the Los Angeles Dodgers sell for $2 billion just three years ago, but also their Opening Day payroll in 2015 was $270 million. That's an all-time MLB high, in case you're wondering.

Not to worry—an $8.35 billion TV deal with Time Warner Cable will help ensure the Dodgers can afford it.  

New England Patriots

Forbes value: $2.6 billion

Aside from the Deflategate saga, it's generally good to be a New England Patriot. To celebrate the team's latest Super Bowl victory, owner Robert Kraft pulled out all the stops for the ring ceremony.

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, safety Devin McCourty said on Sirius XM NFL Radio, "Mr. Kraft definitely went beyond all measures for this ring. It was just crazy seeing Tom [Brady] having all four of his on and looking at the ring compared to his other three."

Kraft, with a reported $2.3 billion net worth, can obviously afford to amp up the bling, if he so chooses, and host the entire team at his house for the ceremony. 

Manchester United

Forbes value: $3.1 billion

Many sports teams commute by private charter or even have their own planes, but Manchester United takes luxury travel a step further. The team flew to San Jose for a friendly in a private jet recently—a jet that actually belongs to the Rolling Stones.

New York Yankees

Forbes value: $3.2 billion

No surprise here. The New York Yankees have long been one of the richest franchises in sports. That's why when the new, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium opened in 2009, every inch of the place screamed luxury—including the locker rooms.

Seriously though. The clubhouse is 30,000 square feet of pure luxury. Each player has a huge locker, complete with personal computers and safe-deposit boxes.

With a monster TV deal with the YES Network locked up until 2042, the Yankee riches don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Dallas Cowboys

LM Otero/Associated Press

Forbes value: $3.2 billion

The second most valuable sports franchise in the world is none other than America's team, the Dallas Cowboys.

It's no secret Jerry's World is a palace of luxury and extravagance, but the Cowboys are putting their significant funds toward other tools, as well.

Todd Archer of ESPN reported the Cowboys are having drones take video at practice, and they are also the first NFL team to use virtual reality training methods. The team has reached a deal with StriVR Labs and even added a separate room to its facilities specifically for this type of training.

Certainly, advancements in technology are great for sports, but the point here is, of course Jerry Jones and his piles of cash would be all over this kind of stuff.

Real Madrid

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Forbes value: $3.26 billion

Not only is Real Madrid the richest soccer team in the world, but it is also the richest sports franchise, period. Perhaps it should not come as a surprise then that the team has paid the two most exorbitant transfer fees on record.

In 2009, Madrid paid £80 million to get Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United, a record at the time. In 2013, it topped its own mark with a £86 million fee to get Gareth Bale from Tottenham. To put that in perspective—and not accounting for inflation, value of the dollar, yada yada—in current terms, those amounts are both well over $100 million.