The 12 Most Embarrassing Teams in Professional Sports

Since the last Stanley Cup victory in Montreal, the internet has been made accessible to the general public, the Super Nintendo is no longer the best-selling games console and the Macarena by Los de Rio is no longer the most popular song in the world. That’s a long time without euphoria. Especially for such an important market in hockey history. But you will see that we are not the only ones to be bored in North American professional sport for 30 years.

I tried to identify the richest losers over three decades in the four major professional circuits (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL).

To be part of this sad list, you must be rich and poor.

For example, the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Buffalo Sabers are pockets. But they are not part of the rich teams. The Dallas Cowboys are poor, but they have won two Super Bowls in the last 30 years, so we exclude them. Cowboys fans, you’re pitiful, it’s horrible, your business, I grant you, but still not enough.

Without further ado, here is my ranking of the 12 richest losers in professional sport over the past 30 years. Obviously, none of them won a single championship. Each amount is in US dollars.

12) The Toronto Maple Leafs

To be rich, they are rich in batinse. It is the most expensive club in the league: $3.66 billion. Annual revenues amount to $346 million. Only the Oilers and Rangers make more money. In 30 years, fans have been treated to several exciting Leafs seasons with 22 seasons above the 500 mark and no less than 19 playoff appearances. It’s not that bad. You know the problem. In 20 years, the team has made it past the first playoff round only once. This shouldn’t annoy shareholders too much, since the franchise is worth ten times more than it was 20 years ago. And Toronto continues to have the best attendances in the league, as well as demanding the most expensive tickets and hot dogs. Hard to beat as a rich, losing club. However, you will see, eleven teams are worse.

11) Brooklyn Nets

The Nets play in the shadow of the Knicks in the New York region. This is reflected in the value of the team, which still reaches US$3.98 billion. It’s almost half as much as the Knicks, but it remains among the most expensive teams in the NBA. Over the past 30 years, the team has had 17 losing seasons and missed the playoffs 14 times. Considering that clubs in the NBA sometimes make the playoffs with a losing record, that’s pretty bad. The 12-70-loss season in 2009-10, while the club was still in New Jersey, remains among the worst in history. Again, no stress for the owners. An evening at the Nets last year for four people averaged $461. It will only cost you more in four NBA arenas. On the revenue side, the team records $374 million per year. In short, everything is fine in Brooklyn. Except for those who would like the team to win something one day.

10) Los Angeles Clippers

Like the Nets with the Knicks, the Clippers play in the shadow of the prestigious Lakers. However, with a value of $4.5 billion, the Clippers are number 6^e The most expensive team in the NBA. The revenues are wonderful at $374 million per year. Still, the team has been horrible for 30 years. She was kicked out of the playoffs 17 times. Fortunately, things have been going much better for 15 years, but the team has not managed to make it anywhere near the playoffs. All this after ten years of horror.

9) Blue Jays de Toronto

Yes, we remember Joe Carter’s home run and the Jays’ two world series. But that was 31 and 32 years ago. Because for 30 years, we shouldn’t tell stories, they are very bad, the Blue Jays. The team took several completely insane directions and decisions only to ultimately bring the organization back to square one most of the time. Over the past 30 years, the Jays have missed the playoffs 23 times in addition to experiencing 16 losing seasons. But on the financial side, things are going pretty well. The team is worth ten times more than it was twenty years ago. Annual revenues now reach US$383 million. Things are going well at the ticket office. Once again, everyone is happy. Except those who like to see their team win the big trophy.

8) Montreal Canadiens

The Canadian is rich, very, very rich. Hang in there. The Molson family bought the Canadian in 2009 for an amount which was never made official, but which was estimated between $550 and $575 million. But it didn’t just include the team. It also included what became Evenko as well as real estate. Today, 15 years later, not 50, the Canadian is worth $2.93 billion (3^e in the NHL). The CH is worth as much or more, for example, as the gross domestic product of 21 countries, such as Belize, Seychelles, Saint Lucia or Burundi. Revenues last year were $318 million (5^e in the NHL). The Bell Center remains among the arenas where it costs the most to see a hockey game across the league. And all this, even though the team has missed the playoffs 13 times in 30 years and finished last in its division for 3 years. In short, the Canadian has never been so healthy thanks to the leadership of Geoff Molson. Everything is perfect, except on the ice.

7) San Diego Padres

The baseball team in the great city of San Diego has been more competitive in recent years. But if we take a step back, over the past 30 years, it has been catastrophic. The team was eliminated from the playoffs 23 times and had 19 losing seasons. Despite everything, revenues exploded with $427 million last year. A Padres ticket, on average, is $140. It’s almost among the top 5 most expensive in the MLB. There’s nothing glamorous about being a Padres fan. But I’m one nonetheless.

6) Oilers d’Edmonton

The Oilers have won the list of richest and losing hockey teams for 30 years. No, the Oilers were not always rich and popular during these years (especially from 2006 to 2016). But it remains a big hockey market and an old dynasty. Financially, it has been nirvana for this organization for several years. The team is now the one that generates the most annual revenue ($357 million). Yes, yes, the Oilers make more money than the Rangers and Leafs. In 15 years, the value of the franchise has not doubled or tripled. It is worth 10 times more: $2.4 billion, which nevertheless includes the brand new arena. The Oilers have been solid for three years. But we must remember that the team has missed the playoffs 17 times in 30 years, in addition to experiencing 16 losing seasons. All this while having 4 first picks overall and 11 picks among the top 10 during these 3 decades. That’s a bit of what’s wrong.

5) New York Jets

Ah! How can we not think of the friendly Jets, who compete in imagination to screw up year after year? And this, while remaining among the most popular and profitable teams in the world. It’s number 6^e team that generated the most revenue in the NFL last year: $680 million. The franchise is now worth $6.8 billion. That’s $2 billion more than the Cincinnati Bengals, for example. In 30 years, the Jets have had 19 losing seasons and 23 exclusions from the playoffs. Go, Jets, go!

4) Commanders de Washington

We laugh at the Jets more often than the Commanders, but Washington deserves a better place in the rankings than the New York team. Over the past 30 years, the poor Commanders have missed the playoffs 23 times. But when they’re not good, they’re really bad. Washington also has 23 losing seasons. You have to do it in a sport with a salary cap! Still, all is well financially for the Commanders. The team is now worth $6.3 billion and generated $604 million in revenue last year. Thank you fans for your loyalty!

3) Knicks de New York

OK, let’s get down to business with the top 3, which begins with the friendly New York Knicks. As a deal, it’s the cream of the crop. This is the New Yorkers team. This is the Madison Square Garden team. This is the team that dominated the league in the 70s with Walt Frazier. But for 30 years, it has been a team that has dominated at printing money. The club has missed the playoffs 15 times and had 15 losing seasons in three decades. It’s not as bad as some teams lower on this list, but the difference is that it’s the Knicks, dammit! The team is worth $7.4 billion. This is more than the Gross Domestic Product of 32 countries. As rich losers go, it’s hard to beat. And yet… we continue.

2) Mets de New York

With 23 playoff exclusions in 30 years and 16 losing seasons, the Mets excel in mediocrity. If they are so high on the list, it is because the Mets are one of the 10 most expensive teams in the MLB ($2.91B) having not won a World Series in 30 years. Not only did New York not win one, but it managed to find its place among the worst clubs in the MLB despite an often monstrous payroll inflated by overpaid star players. The Yankees are always solid, the Dodgers are too strong, the Red Sox have dominated, the Cubs have had their moments, the Giants have won everything often, the Braves are sparkling, the Astros have been on fire, the Phillies have won.. And then, who do we find in these biggest baseball markets, but who has never been able to win for 30 years? The Mets. There’s something to be embarrassed about.

1) Las Vegas Raiders

You have to have a heart willing to give a lot of love to be a Las Vegas (formerly Oakland) Raiders fan. You have to know how to forgive and never have too many expectations. The divorce rate among Raiders fan couples must be miniscule. These are people who stick together and seem ready to weather any storm. Twenty-five losing seasons and 25 exclusions from the playoffs: that’s what makes the Raiders the champion team in our list. And all this, while the team is now worth $6.7B and generates annual revenues of $705M. But don’t worry. It will cost you a lot of money to attend their games in Vegas. Only two teams charge more for a ticket.

Source: The value of the franchises as well as the revenues were established by Sportico. The change in franchise value from year to year was calculated using data from Statista.