We’ve always felt that the sums of money being spent on professional sports – and the attendant industries of endorsements and entertainment – were a little obscene, and the good folks at Forbes recently confirmed that suspicion with a listicle of the most valuable franchises in the world.

So try not to think of the number of water pumps this money could buy for small villages in developing nations, nor the doses of AIDS medication these figures represent, not to mention the failing research and development programs that could be improving entire populations’ quality of life with just a fraction of these funds.

No, just join us in indulging one of the late-stage capitalist’s favorite activities: gazing in wonder at the luxurious excess of it all. Behold – if your eyes can stand the glare from all the bling – the 10 Most Valuable Sports Teams.

• 1. Manchester United (soccer), $1.8 billion

• 2. Dallas Cowboys (football), $1.6 billion

• 3. Washington Redskins (football), $1.5 billion

• 4. New England Patriots (football), $1.32 billion

• 5. New York Yankees (baseball), $1.3 billion

• 6. Real Madrid (soccer), $1.29 billion

• 7. Arsenal (soccer), $1.2 billion

• 8. New York Giants (football), $1.18 billion

• 9. New York Jets (football), $1.17 billion

• 10. Houston Texans (football), $1.17 billion