Top 10 Richest Sports Team Owners

Major professional sports franchises don’t come up for sale very often, but when they do, only the very, very rich need apply.
The ranks of pro sports ownership is poised to gain another billionaire when the sale of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League is finalized to Rob Walton, one of the heirs to the Walmart fortune and one of the 25-richest people in the world, according to Forbes. The trust that owns the Broncos agreed on June 8 to sell the Broncos to Walton for $4.65 billion.
Before the team changes hands, the NFL’s finance committee must recommend the sale to other NFL team owners, and at least 24 of the 32 owners must vote to accept Walton. Approval is considered a formality and is expected before the start of the 2022 NFL season in September. When approved, Walton – who is worth nearly $60 billion – will become the richest owner in the NFL.
But who is the richest owner in American team sports? To find the answer, GOBankingRates turned to Forbes and other reliable sources of information to determine the 10 owners with the highest net worth.
9. (tie) Stanley Kroenke — Denver Nuggets/Los Angeles Rams
- Net worth: $10.7 billion
- Team value: $1.725 billion (Nuggets)/$4.8 billion (Rams)
- Team purchase price: $202 million (Nuggets)/$750 million (Rams)
- Year purchased: 2000 (Nuggets)/2010 (Rams)
9. (tie) Philip Anschutz — Los Angeles Lakers
- Net worth: $10.7 billion
- Team value: $1.025 billion
- Team purchase price: $113.3 million
- Year purchased: 1995
8. Jerry Jones — Dallas Cowboys
- Net worth: $11.4 billion
- Team value: $6.5 billion
- Team purchase price: $150 million
- Year purchased: 1989
7. Robert Pera — Memphis Grizzlies
- Net worth: $14.5 billion
- Team value: $1.5 billion
- Team purchase price: $377 million
- Year purchased: 2012
6. Dan Gilbert — Cleveland Cavaliers
- Net worth: $16 billion
- Team value: $1.65 billion
- Team purchase price: $375 million
- Year purchased: 2005
5. David Tepper — Carolina Panthers
- Net worth: $16.7 billion
- Team value: $2.91 billion
- Team purchase price: $2.3 billion
- Year purchased: 2018
4. Stephen Cohen — New York Mets
- Net worth: $17.4 billion
- Team value: $2.65 billion
- Team purchase price: $2.4 billion
- Year purchased: 2020
3. Paul Allen Estate/Trust — Portland Trailblazers/Seattle Seahawks
- Net worth: $20.3 billion
- Team value: $2.05 billion (Trail Blazers)/$3.5 billion (Seahawks)
- Team purchase price: $70 million (Trail Blazers)/$194 million (Seahawks)
- Year purchased: 1988 (Trail Blazers)/1997 (Seahawks)
2. Rob Walton — Denver Broncos
- Net worth: $57.3 billion
- Team value: $3.75 billion
- Team purchase price: $4.65 billion
- Year purchased: 2022
1. Steve Ballmer — Los Angeles Clippers
- Net worth: $84.2 billion
- Team value: $3.3 billion
- Team purchase price: $2 billion
- Year purchased: 2014
More From GOBankingRates
- How Big Is the Average Social Security Check of a Middle-Class Retiree?
- These 10 Cars Could Drain Your Savings Through Constant Repairs
- 3 Ways to Recession Proof Your Retirement
- This Is the One Type of Debt That 'Terrifies' Dave Ramsey
Methodology: To find the richest owners in professional sports, GOBankingRates began by referencing Forbes’ most recent Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Football League and National Basketball Association team valuations. GOBankingRates used Forbes’ data to find the (1) notable owners, (2) 2021/22 team value, (3) purchase price and (4) year of purchase for every team in all four leagues analyzed. Then, GOBankingRates used a variety of sources (primarily Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth and the Los Angeles Times) to find (5) each owner’s net worth. Corporate entities and team owners with no reliable net worth information available were excluded from the final ranking. All data up to date as of June 22, 2022.
Share This Article:
Related Content
Top Offer Picks

Cash Back at Walmart
Let this free tool pay you up to 15% cash back when you shop online.

Protect and Secure Your Wealth With A Gold IRA
Goldco is dedicated to helping clients protect their financial future with precious metals.

Access Your Home Equity With No Monthly Payments Required
Get the cash you need now and repay the loan on your own terms later.

Build A Real Estate Fortune With Arrived
Next-Gen Wealth Building: Invest in Real Estate Via Arrived.

Get Paid to Share Your Opinion
Get paid to answer surveys, watch videos, shop online, and more.

Get matched with a top-rated financial advisor in your area to review your retirement plan today!
Unlock Free Access to Top Financial Advisors Near You through WiserAdvisor's Matching!

Take Surveys. Get Paid.
$55k+ paid daily to members who share their opinion on Survey Junkie. 1) Join Free 2) Take Surveys 3) Earn Cash & Gift Cards

Search For People, Property Records & Unclaimed Money
Search For People, Property Records & Unclaimed Money with BeenVerified.

Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter!
Get advice on achieving your financial goals and stay up to date on the day's top financial stories.
By clicking the 'Subscribe Now' button, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can click on the 'unsubscribe' link in the email at anytime.
Thank you for signing up!


Sending you timely financial stories that you can bank on.
Sign up for our daily newsletter for the latest financial news and trending topics.
For our full Privacy Policy, click here.