Forbes released it’s annual list of billionaires on Tuesday and to no one’s surprise there are a whole lot of American pro sports owners included. In fact, among the 150 richest people in the world, five of them hold sway over pro sports franchises, often multiple ones.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer rules them all with a net worth of $23.5 billion, making him the 26th-richest person in the world. He’s followed closely by former Microsoft running buddy Paul Allen (Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers), who is worth $17.5 billion (40th overall). Also in the Top 150 are Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross ($12 billion, 80th), Los Angeles Kings owner Phil Anschutz ($9.7 billion, 108th) and Stan Kroenke ($7.7 billion, 148th), who owns the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche.
Darren Rovell broke down the billionaire owners by sport and noted that you’re much more likely to find the world’s richest folks dabbling in pro basketball and pro football than they are to own a pro baseball or hockey club.
There are 20 billionaire NBA owners, 19 billionaire NFL owners, 10 billionaire NHL owners and only eight billionaire MLB owners. Does it say something about where the interest is for the people most likely to make good investments?
The biggest names among them beyond the Top 150 include Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov ($7.6B), Miami Heat owner Micky Arison ($7.1B), Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan ($5.9B), and Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner ($5.5B).
Clearly, money can’t buy everything because a quick look around each league and some of the richest owners in each league also oversee some of the worst franchises. Ballmer’s Clippers are doing well but Prokhorov’s Nets and James Dolan’s Knicks are perennial also-rans. Ross’s Dolphins, Kroenke’s Rams, and Khan’s Jags have been among the NFL’s worst in recent years. Seems having all that money gets you a good seat at the table but you still have to put in the work if you want to eat.
Perhaps as the ultimate sign of where the real power lies in sports, Nike founder Phil Knight trumps all of them with a net worth of $26.1 billion. That’s how you know who’s really in charge, regardless of league.
