The latest NFL team to be sold is the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, who have been bought by a part-49ers owner for just over $9.6 billion.
The Atlanta Falcons are still firmly in the hands of Arthur Blank, who bought the team back in February, 2002 for $545 million. It was a good investment. According to CBS Sports, the Falcons are currently worth $9.78 billion.
That's up 39% from last year and pushes the Falcons into the league's top-10 most-valued franchises.
"There is a new team inside the top 10 and another inside the top 5. The Falcons are up three spots this year to No. 10 with their $9.78 billion valuation, which represents a 39% increase. Managing the revenue streams from Mercedes-Benz stadium is a financial boon with the venue cementing itself as a premier destination for massive events like the College Football Playoff and, most recently, the World Cup."
Only the Seahawks +46%, the Broncos +40%, the Browns +40%, the Panthers +40%, the Cardinals +41% and the Jaguars +42% saw bigger increases in their value year over year.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is not just the crown jewel of the franchise, it's the only major stadium in the country where fans can get affordable food items for events. Blank deserves credit for being a rare cool NFL owner and billionaire who's willing to leave something on the table.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons now rank among NFL's top 10 most-valuable franchises