The Richest Sports Team Owners On The 2021 Forbes 400 List (2024)

The sports team owners on the new Forbes 400 list are worth a combined $389 billion, up 41% over the past year.

Owning a professional sports team in the U.S. has proven to be a solid investment, and this past year was no exception. But for many of the billionaire sports team owners on the newly released 2021 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, large increases in their fortunes have come from investments outside of sports. The combined fortune of the 43 Forbes 400 members who own controlling stakes in major sports teams is up a staggering 41%, to $389.2 billion, over the past year.

Steve Ballmer leads the way as the richest team owner for the seventh straight year, with a net worth of $96.5 billion, up $27.5 billion from a year ago. A former Microsoft executive who led the company as CEO from 2000 to 2014, Ballmer still owns a stake in the tech giant, shares of which rose 33% in the last year. The same year he retired, he purchased the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. The team is worth $2.75 billion today, according to Forbes. Ballmer ranks tenth overall on The Forbes 400.

Another big gainer this year is Dan Gilbert, the billionaire mortgage tycoon and owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s worth an estimated $30.9 billion, up $23.4 billion from a year ago, which moves him from the eighth to the second spot on the list of richest sports team owners. Now the largest mortgage lender in the United States, Gilbert’s Quicken Loans went public as Rocket Companies at a massive $36 billion valuation in August 2020, catapulting Gilbert up the ranks of the world’s richest billionaires.

Following him is Robert Pera, with a net worth of $19 billion. He paid $377 million for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies in 2012; Today, the team is worth $1.3 billion, according to Forbes’ estimates. Pera is founder and CEO of wireless equipment maker Ubiquiti Networks—and much of his wealth comes from his 75% stake in the publicly-traded company.

Rounding out the top five richest sports team owners are two billionaires who made their fortunes in the hedge fund industry: Steve Cohen and David Tepper, worth $16 billion and $15.8 billion, respectively. In October 2020, Cohen completed his purchase of the New York Mets baseball team for $2.4 billion. Tepper, meanwhile, bought the NFL’s Carolina Panthers for $2.3 billion in 2018; The team is now worth $2.9 billion, according to Forbes’ estimates.

Here is the comprehensive list of all the sports team owners on the 2021 Forbes 400 list.

(Net worths are as of September 3, 2021)

1. Steve Ballmer

Net Worth: $96.5 billion

Source of wealth: Microsoft

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

2. Daniel Gilbert

Net Worth: $30.9 billion

Source of wealth: Quicken Loans

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

3. Robert Pera

Net Worth: $19 billion

Source of wealth: Wireless networking gear

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

4. Steve Cohen

Net Worth: $16 billion

Source of wealth: Hedge funds

Team: New York Mets

5. David Tepper

Net Worth: $15.8 billion

Source of wealth: Hedge funds

Team: Carolina Panthers

6. Philip Anschutz

Net Worth: $10.8 billion

Source of wealth: Investments

Teams: Los Angeles Kings, LA Galaxy

7. Stanley Kroenke

Net Worth: $10.7 billion

Source of wealth: Sports, real estate

Teams: Arsenal, Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Avalanche

8. Ann Walton Kroenke

Net Worth: $9.3 billion

Source of wealth: Walmart

Team: Denver Nuggets

9. Jerry Jones

Net Worth: $9.1 billion

Source of wealth: Cowboys

Team: Dallas Cowboys

10. Shahid Khan

Net Worth: $8.5 billion

Source of wealth: Auto parts

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

11. Rocco Commisso

Net Worth: $8.4 billion

Source of wealth: Telecom

Team: AFC Fiorentina

12. Robert Kraft

Net Worth: $8.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Patriots

Teams: New England Patriots, New England Revolution

12. Stephen Ross

Net Worth: $8.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Miami Dolphins

14. Arthur Blank

Net Worth: $7.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Home Depot

Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United

15. Micky Arison

Net Worth: $6.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Carnival Cruises

Team: Miami Heat

16. Henry Samueli

Net Worth: $6.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Semiconductors

Team: Anaheim Ducks

17. Tilman Fertitta

Net Worth: $6.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Entertainment

Team: Houston Rockets

18. Antony Ressler

Net Worth: $6.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Finance

Team: Atlanta Hawks

19. Tom Gores

Net Worth: $5.9 billion

Source of Wealth: Private equity

Team: Detroit Pistons

20. Stephen Bisciotti

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Staffing

Team: Baltimore Ravens

20. Joshua Harris

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Private equity

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Crystal Palace

20. Terrence Pegula

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Natural gas

Teams: Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres

23. Charles Dolan & family

Net Worth: $5.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Cable TV

Teams: New York Knicks, New York Rangers

23. Charles B. Johnson

Net Worth: $5.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Money management

Team: San Francisco Giants

25. Mark Walter

Net Worth: $5.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Finance

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

26. Ted Lerner & family

Net Worth: $4.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Washington Nationals

27. Mark Cuban

Net Worth: $4.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Online media

Team: Dallas Mavericks

28. Dan Friedkin

Net Worth: $4.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Toyota dealerships

Team: A.S. Roma

28. Marian Ilitch

Net Worth: $4.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Little Caesars

Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers

30. Janice McNair

Net Worth: $4.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Energy, sports

Team: Houston Texans

31. Dan Snyder

Net Worth: $4 billion

Source of Wealth: Washington Football Team

Team: Washington Football Team

31. Denise York & family

Net Worth: $4 billion

Source of Wealth: San Francisco 49ers

Team: San Francisco 49ers

33. Gayle Benson

Net Worth: $3.8 billion

Source of Wealth: Sports teams

Teams: New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans

34. Jimmy Haslam

Net Worth: $3.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Gas stations, retail

Teams: Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew

35. John Henry

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Sports

Teams: Boston Red Sox, Liverpool, Roush Fenway Racing

35. Arturo Moreno

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Billboards

Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

35. Vincent Viola

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Electronic trading

Team: Florida Panthers

38. James Irsay

Net Worth: $3.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Indianapolis Colts

Team: Indianapolis Colts

38. Jeffrey Lurie

Net Worth: $3.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Philadelphia Eagles

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

40. John Middleton

Net Worth: $3.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Tobacco

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

40. Herb Simon

Net Worth: $3.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Indiana Pacers

42. Jeremy Jacobs Sr & family

Net Worth: $3 billion

Source of Wealth: Food service

Team: Boston Bruins

43. John Fisher

Net Worth: $2.9 billion

Source of Wealth: Gap

Teams: Oakland Athletics, San Jose Earthquakes, Celtic Glasgow

SEE THE FORBES 400 LIST OF 2021

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The Richest Sports Team Owners On The 2021 Forbes 400 List (2024)
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