The LA Clippers finished ninth in the Western Conference last season and ended their season losing twice in the NBA play-in tournament, but their owner remains on top. For the eighth year in a row, Steve Ballmer ranks as the richest owner in professional sports, according to Forbes.
Ballmer, who was the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, has an estimated net worth of $83 billion. Despite a $13.5 billion drop in Microsoft’s stock valuation, Ballmer is also the world’s eighth-richest person, according to the publication. He bought the Clippers in 2014 and has been the richest owner in the sports world ever since.
While a basketball owner is at the top, the list of the 10 richest owners is dominated by NFL owners.
Rob Walton, who bought the Denver Broncos in June for $4.65 billion, is No. 2 on the list. The Walmart heir is worth an estimated $56.7 billion.
“The Broncos are the only sports franchise we would have considered buying,” Walton said at the time. “… We got in the middle [of the bid] first. … Great team, great fan base.”
Buying an NFL franchise seems like a good investment. Six of the 10 most valuable franchises in the world, according to Forbes, are professional soccer teams, and their valuations have increased an average of 1,500% since 1998, according to the publication’s calculations.
Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, fell from No. 2 to No. 6. His drop was due to Rocket Mortgage, the company he founded and owns, losing half of its stock valuation.
Jerry Jones, who has owned the Dallas Cowboys since 1989 and saw his net worth grow the most this year, is No. 7. Jones has a net worth of $16 billion after his wealth grew a 75.8% during the last year. His wealth comes from his continued investment in oil drilling opportunities, real estate and the Cowboys. The team is valued at $8 billion, according to Forbes, and is the most valuable sports franchise in the world.
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is the No. 3 overall pick. Memphis Grizzlies owner Robert Pera is No. 4 and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is No. 5. Cohen and Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner are the only baseball owners in the top 20 of the rankings.
Of Forbes’ 400 richest people in the world, 50 sports team owners are on the list.
