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
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