Bears Are 18th-Most Valuable Sports Franchise, Forbes Says

(CBS) The Bears are the 18th-most valuable sports franchise in the world, according to Forbes' latest annual estimation that was released Wednesday morning.

Owned by the McCaskey family, the Bears were valued at $1.25 billion, per Forbes. That makes them the eighth-most valuable NFL team. The Cowboys ($2.3 billion), Patriots ($1.8 billion), Redskins ($1.7 billion), Giants ($1.55 billion), Texans ($1.45 billion), Jets ($1.38 billion) and Eagles ($1.31 billion) are worth more than the Bears.

High-profile European soccer teams were estimated to be the most valuable pro sports franchises. Real Madrid was tabbed at $3.44 billion, while Barcelona ($3.2 billion) and Manchester United ($2.81 billion) followed.

The Yankees were the most valuable American sports franchise, rating fourth at $2.5 billion.

The Cubs were rated as the 21st-most valuable sports franchise, worth an estimated $1.2 billion -- a number that could rise in coming years as Wrigley Field is renovated and some local TV rights are up for grabs for a team with an elite farm system that has many projecting rapid improvement soon.

The Bulls were valued at $1 billion, 37th on the list.

Neither the White Sox nor the Blackhawks made the top-50 list.