updated 7:23 p.m. ET Sept. 1, 2005

WASHINGTON - Although they’ve had a losing record on the field the last three seasons, the Washington Redskins are the NFL’s biggest winners when it comes to making money.

For the sixth straight year, the Redskins are atop Forbes magazine’s annual list of NFL franchise valuations at $1.26 billion. The value has increased 15 percent since last year, when Washington became the first American sports team to pass the $1 billion mark with a value of $1.1 billion.

This year, Redskins are one of three NFL teams valued at more than $1 billion. The archrival Dallas Cowboys are worth $1.06 billion. The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots are valued at $1.04 billion.

The Redskins have been atop the Forbes list since unseating the Cowboys in 2000. Dallas had held the top spot since 1993.

The Redskins had $287 million in operating revenue last year, up from $245 million in 2003, with an operating income of $53.8 million, down from $69.6 million the previous year.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder bought the team and what was then Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in 1999 for $796 million. Since then, he has expanded the stadium to hold more than 91,000 fans — by far the largest capacity in the NFL — and signed a $250 million naming rights deal with FedEx.

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The team has sold out every home game since 1966, and its season ticket waiting list has more than 105,000 names.

For this season, the team created the Touchdown Club, which allows fans to bypass the waiting list and obtain prime seats for $7,500. For that price, fans receive lower-level midfield seats, a catered pregame party, pregame field passes, parking and a trip to a Redskins road game.

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