There’s rich and then there’s filthy rich.
A new list of the richest owners in US sports shows that even multi-billionaires have to cast envious glances at people who are far more wealthy than them.
GettyDavid Tepper paid $2.275 billion for the Carolina Panthers[/caption]
Unfortunately for fans, having the biggest bank balance doesn’t seem to guarantee success on the field.
Per Boardroom, these are the five wealthiest owners in America right now — an elite club with a minimum buy-in of over $20 billion.
5= David Tepper (Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC, $23.3 billion)
Tepper made his money as a hedge fund manager, earning $7 billion during the pandemic alone.
He is known as a bullish investor and, according to the Wall Street Journal, has a set of brass balls in his office to stamp home the point.
His first dip into sports was a 5 percent stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers, which he sold after buying the Panthers from founder Jerry Richardson in May 2018.
The mogul has zero playoff appearances and his team has a 36–80 record with him at the helm.
Tepper set an MLS record after paying $325 million to bring an MLS expansion team to Charlotte.
The young franchise’s best finish is 11th in the Eastern Conference in 2024.
5= Steve Cohen (New York Mets, $23.3 billion)
Another hedge fund manager, Cohen helped inspire the character Bobby Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis on the Showtime series Billions.
He became a minority owner of the Mets in 2012 with an 8 percent stake and took a controlling interest in 2020.
AFPCohen has not been afraid to splash the cash[/caption]
Some owners are accused of not supporting their teams, Cohen is not one of them.
According to AP, New York led the major leagues in spending for the third straight season in 2024.
The franchise has spent $1.36 billion in payroll and luxury tax since Cohen took over.
That is more than the Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Tampa Bay Rays have shelled out on players in the past 21 seasons.
4. Daniel Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers, $26.4 billion)
Gilbert co-founded Rock Ventures which was the largest US mortgage lender by volume in 2017, per Detroit News.
Forbes had him listed as the 87th richest person in the world in 2024.
He bought the Cavs in 2005 for $375 million — at the time a record for an NBA team.
He brought the franchise its first championship in 2016 but has been criticized after a period of struggle since LeBron James left in 2018.
CNBC values the Cavaliers at $4.35 billion, ranking 15th in the league.
3. Miriam Adelson and family (Dallas Mavericks, $32.6 billion)
Miriam Adelson is a physician and widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.
Alongside Sivan and Patrick Dumont — her daughter and son-in-law, she took over the Mavericks from Mark Cuban in January 2024.
They have not been in charge long but the family — majority shareholders in the Las Vegas Sands — are not popular in Dallas or cities with an NBA franchise outside Los Angeles, for that matter.
Why? Because the Mavericks inexplicably decided to sanction the trade of five-time All-Star Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
The exchange looks worse by the day and after injuries to Anthony Davis and Ja Morant, the Mavs are miles away from competing for a title having lost in the Finals last season.
2. Rob Walton and family (Denver Broncos, $114.2 billion)
The entrepreneur is the eldest child of Walmart co-founder Sam Walton.
That explains where he got his money from.
He led a $4.65 billion bid to buy the Broncos in 2022 and now runs the NFL franchise like a family business.
His daughter Carrie Walton Penner and son-in-law Greg Penner handle much of the day-to-day business and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is among the minority investors.
Weighed down by a disastrous trade for Russell Wilson, Denver has struggled in recent years.
But with Sean Peyton at the helm and Bo Nix under center, there is hope that the tide is turning.
1. Steve Ballmer (Los Angeles Clippers, $119.7 billion)
GettyBallmer welcomed Barrak Obama to a Clippers game[/caption]
Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer tops the list thanks to his staggering computing fortune and position as the world’s 10th richest person.
The business savvy that helped him rise through the ranks after becoming Bill Gates’ 30th employee has been on display in his sports career.
Bought for $2 billion in 2014, the Clippers‘ value has more than doubled over the last decade.
Forbes ranks Los Angeles the NBA’s fifth-most league’s valuable at $5.5 billion.
Unfortunately, as has been the case for decades, there is only one team that matters in Los Angeles — and it isn’t the Clippers.
Doncic’s arrival at the Lakers (see above) is only going to see the gulf grow.
