30 luckiest sports franchises

15. New York Yankees

Most sports have teams battling with each other, but also with a salary cap to make things more competitive. However, when you’re the New York Yankees, that last part doesn’t really tend to matter.

The Yankees have been fortunate enough to have a ton of money in their franchise to spend on their players, and it’s given them great success over the last 20 years. They seem to always have the words “record-setting” next to contracts they sign free agents for, and look no further than just this past offseason when they signed Aroldis Chapman to a record contract for a closer in MLB history.

However, even with the luck in having all of that money off the field, they’ve had some incredible good fortune on it, as well. For starters, one of the most historic moments in franchise history had an incredibly low chance of happening. Derek Jeter’s flip throw to home plate against the Oakland Athletics was one that, as impressive and talented as it was, can’t be something considered routine, and for that reason has to be considered at least a little lucky.

Then, add in the piece of luck when the team advanced to the 2003 World Series after Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little pulled a boneheaded move, leaving a gassed Pedro Martinez on the mound to blow the team’s chances of breaking the Curse of the Bambino. The Yankees went on to lose that World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but they were lucky to even get the opportunity.

It’s rare for a team to be as fortunate as the Yankees are both on and off of the field, and they’ve come back down to Earth over the last few years. However, they’re still one of the most lucky teams in baseball history, and one of the luckiest sports franchises out there.