Newsletters
Sports
Sarah Jackson
- It's no secret that professional sports franchises can be big money.
- Some of your favorite sports teams are owned by some of the richest billionaires in the world.
- Here are the ultrawealthy owners behind some of the most successful sports teams.
Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.
Advertisem*nt
The world's ultrawealthy have shown they have no shortage of places to blow their money: They collect luxury cars, snap up vacation homes for their vacation homes, and buy ever-larger yachts.
Some of them also choose to get into sports franchise ownership, whether it's football, basketball, hockey, or soccer.
Here's a look at some of the megarich owners of major sports franchises. All net worths are estimates from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Advertisem*nt
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer
Ballmer, who is worth $147 billion, bought the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, the same year he left Microsoft. He paid $2 billion, setting a record at the time for sale of a professional basketball team.
Advertisem*nt
Walmart heir Rob Walton
Rob Walton, who is worth $84.6 billion, is one of three children of Walmart and Sam's Club founder Sam Walton.
Together with his daughter Carrie Walton Penner, her husband and Walmart Chairman Greg Penner, and Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson, they paid $4.65 billion for the Denver Broncos football franchise in 2022.
"Having lived and worked in Colorado, we've always admired the Broncos," Walton said in a statement at the time. "Carrie, Greg and I are inspired by the opportunity to steward this great organization in a vibrant community full of opportunity and passionate fans."
The sale broke a record for the most expensive sale of a professional sports team in North America at the time, though it has since been broken by a $6.1 billion sale of the Washington Commanders to a group led by private equity billionaire Josh Harris.
Advertisem*nt
Rocket Mortgage cofounder Dan Gilbert
Gilbert, who is worth $29 billion, led a group that included Usher to buy the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team in 2005 for $375 million.
Advertisem*nt
Hedge funder David Tepper
Tepper, the founder of global hedge fund Appaloosa Management, has a net worth of $19.8 billion. He bought the Carolina Panthers in 2018 for $2.275 billion in a record for the NFL at the time.
He previously had an estimated 5% ownership stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tepper also owns Major League Soccer franchise Charlotte FC, for which he reportedly paid an estimated $325 million expansion fee.
Advertisem*nt
Hedge funder Steve Cohen
Hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, worth $13.9 billion, bought the New York Mets baseball team in 2020 for a record $2.4 billion.
He had first bought an 8% limited partnership stake in the team for $40 million in 2012.
Advertisem*nt
Real estate mogul Stanley Kroenke
Kroenke, who made his $19.6 billion fortune in real estate and sports, owns several US sports teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, an NFL team, and the Denver Nuggets, an NBA team. He also owns the hockey team Colorado Avalanche and the soccer club Colorado Rapids.
He also owns English soccer clubs Arsenal FC and Arsenal Women's FC.
Advertisem*nt
Oil, railroad, and entertainment titan Philip Anschutz
Anschutz, who is worth $19 billion, is the founder of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and soccer club LA Galaxy.
Broadcom cofounder Henry Samueli
Samueli, the founder of semiconductor company Broadcom is worth $15.1 billion. He bought the Anaheim Ducks NHL franchise from the Walt Disney Company in 2005 alongside his wife, Susan. The purchase price and terms of the deal were not made public.
Advertisem*nt
Oil wildcatter Jerry Jones
Jones, who is worth $13.1 billion, bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 for $140 million. His investment has more than paid off: The football team is believed to be the most valuable in the world, worth an estimated $9 billion.
Kraft Group CEO Robert Kraft
Kraft, who is worth $8.17 billion, bought the New England Patriots football team in 1994 for $172 million.
Read next
Advertisem*nt
