The sporting empire of Liberty Media, owner of Formula 1, is the most expensive in the world
In the beginning of 2024, the value of Liberty Media is estimated at 18.2 billion dollars according to Forbes magazine. The American company owns other sports franchises in addition to Formula 1.
In January 2017, the Liberty Media Corporation (LMC) group acquired the economic rights of Formula 1 from the investment fund CVC, putting an end to Bernie Ecclestone’s tenure that began in the 80s.
LMC takes control of F1 for $301 million, which is equivalent to €278.7 million. But in total, the American company has spent $8 billion, equivalent to €7.4 billion, to clear the entire debt.
The mass media group aimed to restore popularity to Formula 1. The Netflix series Drive to Survive was created for this purpose, and new highly lucrative financial agreements were signed to host Grand Prix races. As a result, Jeddah and Losail joined the F1 calendar in 2021, Miami in 2022, and Las Vegas in 2023, not to mention the arrival of Madrid in 2026.
A value estimated at over 18 billion dollars.
In 2024, Forbes magazine wrote that Liberty Media was one of the most economically powerful sports empires. LMC owns, in addition to F1, Overtime Sports, Drone Racing League, Kroenke Arena, and Meyer Shank Racing. The value of this sports empire is estimated at $18.22 billion, or €16.86 billion, according to Forbes.
The group, however, experienced a slight decrease in its value, estimated at 20.8 billion dollars in 2023, which is equivalent to 19.2 billion euros.
The total value of Liberty Media’s stakes in its sports assets dropped by 12% to $18.2 billion, but it still holds the top spot on our list. Liberty Media lost value this year because it parted ways with the Atlanta Braves, currently valued at $2.6 billion as of last July, according to the American economic magazine.
