Fact check: What is the total revenue difference between NFL and NBA?

1. Summary of the results

The revenue difference between the NFL and NBA shows a consistent pattern of significant NFL dominance, though the exact figures vary by year and source:

• Most recent data ^[1] shows a $10 billion gap, with NFL at $23 billion and NBA at $13 billion ^[2]
• 2022 figures indicated an $8 billion difference, with NFL at $18 billion and NBA at $10 billion ^[3]
• Earlier data showed a $6.6 billion gap, with NFL at $14 billion and NBA at $7.4 billion ^[4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• There is a clear upward trend in revenues for both leagues over time, with both the NFL and NBA showing substantial growth ^{[2] [4] [3]}
• The NFL's revenue has grown from $14 billion to $23 billion over the reported period ^{[4] [2]}
• The NBA's revenue has nearly doubled from $7.4 billion to $13 billion ^{[4] [2]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple comparison of total revenue might be misleading for several reasons:

• The NFL has more teams and games per season
• Revenue per game or per team might be more meaningful metrics
• Different revenue streams (TV rights, merchandise, ticket sales) aren't broken down in the comparison
• Stakeholders who benefit from emphasizing the NFL's dominance (NFL team owners, broadcasters, sponsors) might prefer focusing on total revenue rather than other metrics that might show a different picture

Each league's financial stakeholders (team owners, media partners, sponsors) have vested interests in how these numbers are presented and interpreted.