When you think about sports teams and their huge valuations, it’s likely in the back of your mind that someone somewhere has to profit. Well, those profiting almost always pay for everything, better known as the team owner. In American sports, team owners range from business titans to those who inherited their fortunes.
While their fortunes might have come from different places, there is one absolute truth: you must be very wealthy to own a sports team. To look at the richest American sports team owners, we turn to Front Office Sports and its list of the 20 richest American sports team owners in 2023 in descending order.
Why Is This Important?
First and foremost, this topic seems very relevant to 24/7 WallSt as many of the wealthiest people on this list own or have been a part of companies we regularly cover. Microsoft, Walmart, and Home Depot are just a few of the brands that appear on this list due to the significant wealth of its owners. Of course, this wealth means owners can buy teams and provide substantial improvements to help them win.
20. Stephen Bisciotti
- Team name: Baltimore Ravens
- Net Worth: $7.2 billion
Stephen Bisciotti, the current majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens, founded Aerotek, the largest privately owned staffing and recruiting company in the United States. He also co-founded Allegis Group, an international talent firm that now owns Aerotek. Allegis Group is believed to be the world’s largest privately held staffing firm. Using his wealth, Bisciotti purchased 49% of the Baltimore Ravens with an option to purchase the remaining 51% for another $325 million. Bisciotti completed his full purchase of the team in April 2004.
19. Arthur Blank
- Team name: Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United
- Net Worth: $7.9 billion
Well known as one of the co-founders of Home Depot, Arthur Blank is a prominent American businessman and the owner of the Atlanta Falcons NFL team and the Atlanta United of the MLS. Co-founding Home Depot in 1978, the company is one of the most prominent hardware stores in the world and regularly advertises at major sports events. In February 2002, Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons franchise. Although Blank had considered purchasing the Atlanta Braves, Blank founded the MLS expansion team with Atlanta United, who started playing in 2017.
17. Tilman Fertitta (tied)
- Team name: Houston Rockets
- Net Worth: $8 billion
A very public American billionaire, Tilman Fertitta is the founder and chairman of Landry’s, Inc. A privately-held company, Landry’s has its hand in many different businesses, including over 600 restaurants, hotels, casinos, and entertainment destinations in over 35 states. Using his wealth as the “world’s richest restaurateur,” Fertitta purchased the Houston Rockets in September 2017. After beating out Beyonce Knowles ‘ bid, he spent over $2.2 billion to buy the team. Fertitta has also expressed interest in bringing or relocating an NHL team to Houston.
17. Rocco Commisso (tied)
- Team name: AFC Fiorentina
- Net Worth: $8 billion
An Italian-American businessman, Rocco Commisso is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Mediacom, America’s fifth-largest cable company. As of July 2024, Mediacom remains a privately held company, which Commisso founded after stints at Cablevision and Chase Manhattan Bank. Using his Mediacom wealth, Commisso owns the Italian football club ACF Fiorentina. He spent between $150 and $200 million on the purchase. The ACF Fiorentina was founded in 1926 and has won two Italian League titles.
15. Antony Ressler (tied)
- Team name: Atlanta Hawks
- Net Worth: $8.1 billion
Antony Ressler, co-founder of Apollo Global Management in 1990 and Ares Management in 1997, is tied for 15th among the wealthiest sports owners in America. In 2005, Ressler was part of an investment group that successfully bid to purchase the Milwaukee Brewers. Since June 2015, Ressler has been the principal owner of the Atlanta Hawks. He purchased the team for $730 million, though his bid was later updated to $850 million. As part of the Hawks ownership group, Ressler partnered with Spanx founder Sara Blakely and former NBA star Grant Hill, among others.
15. Tom Gores (tied)
- Team name: Detroit Pistons
- Net Worth: $8.1 billion
Born in 1964, Tom Gores is an American billionaire and the founder of Platinum Equity, a private equity firm in Beverly Hills, California. In June 2011, Gores and Platinum Equity became 100% owners of the Detroit Pistons basketball team. Gores has led dozens of successful acquisitions, including ownership of some units of Motorola, Alcatel, and Fujitsu, which have contributed to his net worth. Gores’ team purchase at $325 million was considered a “shocking bargain.” In 2015, Gores bought out Platinum Equity to become the sole owner of the Pistons.
14. Robert Pera
- Team name: Memphis Grizzlies
- Net Worth: $8.3 billion
The founder of Ubiquiti Networks, Pera, is one of the youngest sports team owners on this list at only 46 years of age. In October 2012, Pera became the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies after his company went public in 2011. By the age of 36, Pera was considered one of the ten youngest billionaires in the world. Pera set up Ubiquiti Networks using his savings, and today, the company is one of the country’s largest providers of wireless internet technology.
13. Jimmy Haslam
- Team name: Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew, Milwaukee Bucks
- Net Worth: $8.7 billion
Chairman of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain board, Jimmy Haslam and his wife own the Cleveland Browns of the NFL, Columbus Crew of the MLS, and a stake in the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. As owner of the Columbus Crew, Haslam has overseen the team’s 2020 and 2023 MLS Cup victories. Haslam’s father founded the Pilot Corporation in 1958, where Jimmy began working in 1976. Pilot Flying J is one of the ten largest privately helped companies in the United States, with over 24,000 employees.
12. Henry Samueli
- Team name: Anaheim Ducks
- Net Worth: $10
Henry Samueli, the founder of Broadcom Corporation, owns the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, a once-dominant team. A prominent philanthropist as much as a sports owner, Samueli co-founded Broadcom in 1991 while still working at UCLA as a professor. Jumping ahead to 2003, when Samueli purchased the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim sports and entertainment venue, which led to the 2005 purchase of the Mighty Ducks NHL team. Samueli would also scoop up the Norfolk Admirals, the Anaheim Mighty Duck’s American Hockey League affiliate in 2015.
11. Stephen Ross
- HorizoTeam name: Miami Dolphins
- Net Worth: $10.1 billion
Stephen M. Ross, owner of Related Companies, is a real estate developer, sports team owner, and philanthropist. When he founded his company in 1972, Ross became successful and became the largest owner of luxury residential rental properties in New York and Florida. Ross purchased 50% of the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise in February 2008, along with the team’s stadium. One year later, Ross purchased another 45% of the team, giving him 95% control over the franchise. Using the other 5%, Ross has brought in partners like Serena Williams, Gloria Estefan, and Marc Anthony as minority owners.
10. Robert Kraft
- Team name: New England Patriots, New England Revolution
- Net Worth: $11.1 billion
One of the best-known faces of the NFL, Robert Kraft, was a staple part of the New England Patriots dynasty. In partnership with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots won six Super Bowls under Kraft, which led to one of the most dominant NFL eras in history. Kraft made his money as the CEO of Kraft Group, which has diversified holdings across real estate, private equity, and sports. Kraft purchased the Patriots in 1994 and then the New England Revolution in 1996, which he co-founded.
9. Shahid Khan
- Team name: Jacksonville Jaguars, Fulham F.C.
- Net Worth: $12.2 billion
Shahid Khan is a Pakistani-American billionaire businessman who owns the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C. He also co-owns All Elite Wrestling with his son. Khan is well associated with the American Dream as one of the wealthiest sports owners in the country. He made his money from the Flex-N-Gate corporation, which made him an auto parts magnate. After purchasing the Jaguars in 2011, Khan’s frustration with finding a new stadium in the Jacksonville area may force him to relocate the team.
8. Jerry Jones
- Team name: Dallas Cowboys
- Net Worth: $14.5 billion
Even though Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1995, “America’s Team” is still one of the most valuable sports teams. Jones purchased the Cowboys in 1989 for $150 million, which sounds like a paltry sum compared to the team’s $9.2 billion valuation in 2024. Jones has played a big role in the NFL’s overall prosperity, helping the league sign big-dollar television deals and increasing the league’s overall visibility over the last 35 years. Originally, Jones made his money through oil and gas exploration, but he has since expanded into multiple other ventures.
7. Stanley Kroenke
- Team name: Los Angeles Rams, Arsenal F.C., Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids
- Net Worth: $14.6 billion
To say that Stanley Kroenke is a significant player in the sports ownership world would be putting it mildly. As the owner of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, his company owns controlling interests in popular sports teams like the Los Angeles Rams, Arsenal F.C., Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Rapids. Across four major sports, Kroenke’s teams have won five championships under his ownership. A big portion of Kroenke’s net worth comes from his marriage to Ann Walton, granddaughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton.
6. Philip Anschutz
- Team name: Los Angeles Kings, LA Galaxy
- Net Worth: $14.8 billion
Philip Anschutz is an American billionaire and businessman with a controlling interest in multiple companies. His net worth comes from sports, real estate, newspapers, arenas, music, energy, and multiple other industries. Anschutz is best known in the sports world for owning the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and LA Galaxy MLS club and as a co-founder of Major League Soccer. Due to his widespread interests, it’s widely believed that Anschutz is among the most influential people in the American sports world.
5. Steve Cohen
- Team name: New York Mets
- Net Worth: $19.8 billion
An American hedge-fund founder, Steve Cohen is one of the most well-known names among Major League Baseball owners. Unfortunately, his recognition is as much based on his net worth as on his former fund pleading guilty to insider trading. However, this was just a bump in the road for Cohen, whose Point72 Asset Management remains the focal point of his net worth. In 2012, Cohen purchased a small stake of 8% in the Mets; in 2020, he purchased a controlling interest in the team.
4. David Tepper
- Team name: Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC
- Net Worth: $20.6 billion
David Tepper owns not one but two American sports teams: the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC. The founder of Appaloosa Management, Tepper, set up his shop after being passed over as a Goldman Sachs partner, even though he is credited with successfully helping the company navigate the 1987 stock market crash. Today, with a net worth of over $20 billion, Tepper can afford to own two major sports teams in two of the biggest sports leagues in the country.
3. Daniel Gilbert
- Team name: Cleveland Cavaliers
- Net Worth: $21.3 billion
There is little question that Daniel Gilbert is one of the most prominent NBA owners. As the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the co-founder and majority owner of Rocket Mortgage, Dan Gilbert’s net worth has skyrocketed over the years. After going through some rocky years after some success and an NBA title with Lebron James, Gilbert spent big to acquire All-Star Donovan Mitchell. Gilbert’s Rocket Companies also perform well, so he can afford to spend big.
2. Rob Walton
- Team name: Denver Broncos
- Net Worth: $67.4 billion
As one of Sam Walton’s heirs, Rob Walton’s net worth is based on his shares in the Walmart corporation. The eldest Son of Sam Walton, he was chairman of the company from 1992 to 2015. In June 2022, Walton led an ownership group that purchased the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion, the most expensive sports franchise sale in history. Walton’s son-in-law, Greg, runs the day-to-day operations of the Bronco franchise as the public face of his father’s ownership group.
1. Steve Ballmer
- Team name: Los Angeles Clippers
- Net Worth: $101 billion
One of the most familiar names on this list is Steve Ballmer, who famously purchased the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 for $2 billion. The former Microsoft CEO made his net worth by being one of the first Microsoft employees. In the ten years Ballmer has owned the team, the Clippers’ value has almost doubled to over $3.9 billion. Next up is for Ballmer to move the team into its new $2 billion stadium, which Ballmer is paying for out of his own pocket.
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