Return to California has left Rams' empire in a golden state

Building own stadium, and a competitive team, has raised team's value to $10.43 billion.

- SAM FARMER

WALLY SKALIJ Los Angeles Times A SUPER BOWL victory by quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams has helped push the value of the franchise to $10.43 billion, second only to Dallas.

A decade ago, the languishing St. Louis Rams were ranked dead last in the NFL with a franchise valuation of $930 million.

Faced with an unappealing stadium lease and dwindling prospects in St. Louis, the Rams turned their attention westward, toward their Los Angeles roots. Quietly, they acquired two parcels of land at the former Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, where they would eventually build SoFi Stadium, a state-of-the-art venue that would redefine the franchise and reshape the NFL's footprint in Los Angeles.

Today, according to Sportico rankings released Wednesday, the Rams are valued at $10.43 billion, second only to the Dallas Cowboys at $12.88 billion.

This valuation comes a month after CNBC ranked Stan Kroenke's portfolio of teams — the Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and the Premier League's Arsenal—the most valuable in sports at $21.2 billion.