These are slam-dunk days for NBA owners.
We saw it in a big way when the league extended its TV deals with ESPN /ABC and TNT in October 2014 to the tune of $24 billion over nine years, which was triple the previous annual rate.
Now, other properties are ramping up their commitment to the league, with sponsors often signing new deals at twice or even up to four times the previous amounts in order to get a piece of the U.S. sports league with the best global prospects.
The result: The average NBA franchise is now worth $1.25 billion, up 13% over last year on the heels of a 74% gain the previous year after the national media deals were completed.
The New York Knicks reclaim the top spot from the Los Angeles Lakers after a one-year hiatus, thanks to a new cable deal and the highest premium-seating revenue in the league at almost $90 million.