While both different leagues, organizations in the NFL and NBA share one common goal: to make money, and a lot of it.
According to S&P Global, the NFL had a revenue of $23 billion at the end of the 2024-2025 season, which is an increase of 14.1% from the 2023-2024 season. Per CNBC, the NBA is projected to have a revenue of $14.3 billion in the 2025-2026 season.
Growth among both leagues is apparent, but does team performance have any impact on how much the teams make per year?
To assess this, one team was randomly selected from each of the eight NFL divisions, and one team from each NBA division, as well as an additional random selection from each NBA conference to even the amount of teams per league.
The following NFL teams were selected:
- Miami Dolphins (AFC East)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North)
- Houston Texans (AFC South)
- Los Angeles Chargers (AFC West)
- Washington Commanders (NFC East)
- Minnesota Vikings (NFC North)
- Carolina Panthers (NFC South)
- San Francisco 49ers (NFC West)
The following NBA teams were selected:
- Boston Celtics (Atlantic)
- Chicago Bulls (Central)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (Central)
- Charlotte Hornets (Southeast)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (Northwest)
- Phoenix Suns (Pacific)
- Dallas Mavericks (Southwest)
- Memphis Grizzlies (Southwest)
To determine the impact that team performance has on fiscal earnings, and the differences that the two leagues may have in that matter, the season records and revenue from 2022-2024 were identified. Season records were found using ESPN for both the NFL and NBA, and team revenue was found using Statista for both the NFL and NBA.
For the eight NFL teams selected, a correlation of .11 was found between season record and team revenue. The positive relationship suggests that as the team record improves, so does the team revenue; however, the relationship is noticeably weak.
Due to the fact that the NFL shares team revenue across the league, it makes sense that the relationship is weak. Additionally, since there are less games in the NFL, it gives fans less chances to view their team, making Sundays a particularly important day in the sports world.
For the eight NBA teams selected, a correlation of .4 was found between season record and team revenue. The positive relationship suggests that as the team record improves, so does the team revenue. The relationship is moderate, which means while there is a clear direction, the relationship is not strong enough to rely on in high-stakes situations.
While both leagues present a positive relationship, the NBA provides a much clearer story than the NFL. While revenue partially hinges on team performance in the NBA, an NFL team could have a 12-win season and a 5-win season and see similar fiscal outcomes.
