Last week, news came out that the Detroit Lions were the only team in 201o to actually lose money. In addition to that Forbes also ranked Lions owner William Clay Ford, Sr. as the worst owner in the NFL based off his past record.
On Tuesday, 247WallSt.com released a list of seven teams that were on track of total financial collapse.
Some of those teams on the verge of collapse, according to 247WallSt.com are the Columbus Blue Jackets, Indiana Pacers, the New York Islanders and in at #6 on the list, the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions may come to a surprise to some but here’s what 247WallSt.com has to say on the Detroit franchise…
6. Detroit Lions
> 10-year change in attendance: -25.18% (the biggest decline in NFL)
> W-L record 10 years: 39-121 (the worst in NFL)
> Operating income (2010): -$8 million
> Year founded: 1929 (moved to Detroit in 1934)
> Value: $844 million (seventh least valuable in NFL)While Detroit has certainly experienced increasing financial troubles, the team may be in the midst of turning its fortunes around. The Lions are currently 6-2, and the team is tied with several others for the third-best record in the NFL. If they continue to win, they could become a profitable NFL franchise again. However, stepping back from this year for a moment paints a less rosy picture. In the previous 10 seasons, the Lions have won just 39 out of 160 games, easily the worst record in the NFL. This includes the 2008 season, when the team became the only franchise ever to fail to win a game in the 16-game schedule. The team moved from the Silverdome in 2002 to Ford Field, hoping to save money, but even in the smaller stadium the team usually averages well below the 65,000 person capacity. While the franchise was profitable for the first half of the decade, the Lions lost money in four of the past five seasons, including the $8 million lost last year.
It’s really hard to see any team in the National Football League on the verge of collapse and in all honesty it doesn’t seem like this list is looking at the big picture with the Detroit Lions. For instance, you have to take a look at who owns the Lions, the Ford Family who obviously owns tremendous stock in Ford Motor Company. Ford Motor Company is a huge sponsor in the NFL so in turn the NFL would never let the Lions get to the point of the Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets or Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ref: 247WallSt.com