The most “valuable” players could very well be the owners.
The world’s top sports team owners active today have pulled together a combined net worth of over $350 billion despite inflation and a volatile market.
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Unfortunately, this very exclusive club now excludes mainstay Roman Abramovich. The Russian oligarch will soon let go of the Premier League’s Chelsea FC in light of Vladimir Putin’s controversial invasion of Ukraine.
Adverse economic conditions, moreover, have not entirely spared even the richest. Some sports team owners bid goodbye to over half of their wealth due to losses in public holdings that suffered during the pandemic.
Notwithstanding, notable gains helped to pull up the total wealth of the sports industry’s key figures, who are now finding more revenue streams.
Here are seven of the wealthiest owners of sports teams worldwide as of 2022.
Steve Ballmer
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Net Worth: $91.4 billion
The former Microsoft CEO found a good investment in the Clippers, which is now valued at $3.3 billion compared to the $2 billion he spent nearly a decade ago. However, it’s actually the growth of Microsoft’s stock that allowed Ballmer’s wealth to climb by $22.7 billion in the past year alone.
Mukesh Ambani
Team: Mumbai Indians
Net Worth: $90.7 billion
Ambani’s Reliance Industries own the Indians, which have won a record-high five league titles. Now, his company is reportedly fighting for the media rights of the Indian Premier League.
François Pinault
Team: Stade Rennais FC
Net Worth: $40.4 billion
With his foundation in luxury goods, François Pinault is pursuing Ligue 1 rivals Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain. Between the two teams, they have together scored 14 championships since Pinault purchased Stade Rennais FC over two decades ago.
Dietrich Mateschitz
Team: New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Racing, RB Leipzig
Net Worth: $27.4 billion
Although he has seen success in his lineup of football clubs, Mateschitz’s winning bet is in the form of Max Verstappen, who brought Red Bull Racing its first championship title since 2013.
Daniel Gilbert
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Net Worth: $22 billion
Gilbert lost over half his fortune due to a decline in the share price of Rocket Companies. Nonetheless, he remains among the world’s wealthiest.
Masayoshi Son
Team: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Net Worth: $21.3 billion
Son has found refuge in his conglomerate SoftBank Group over the last four decades and in the more unpredictable last few years. Since the company acquired the Hawks, the club has won seven Japan Series championships.
Steve Cohen
Team: New York Mets
Net Worth: $17.4 billion
Cohen is the richest individual owner in baseball. He is able to supply the Mets with the second-highest payroll in the league, just behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Banner Photo via Robert Pera’s Instagram
