Forbes unveiled its list of the 400 Richest Americans on Tuesday, and it has a decidedly sports-heavy flavor.
Like death and taxes, Bill Gates topping the list is a given: The Microsoft mogul was the richest American for a mind-bending 22nd consecutive year at $76 billion. But the rest of the list is sprinkled with men and women who have owned sports teams, apparel manufacturers or represented players.
The wealthiest team owner is Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who ranked 21st overall at $21.6 billion. He bought the Clippers for $2 billion last August from disgraced racist Donald Sterling (209th on the list). Ballmer made his money with Microsoft, as did Paul Allen (26th, $17.8 billion), owner of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Sounders of MLS.
The third-, fourth- and fifth-richest team owners are minority share-holders, but with their deep pockets could easily become majority or even sole owners anytime they please. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong of the Lakers ($12.9 billion), hedge fund manager Steve Cohen of the Mets ($12 billion) and David Tepper of the Steelers ($11.6 billion) round out that top five.
Philip Frederick Anschutz, worth $10.9 billion, checks in after Tepper, and might have the most diversified sports portfolio of anybody on the illustrious list. His AEG group owns stakes in the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and various arenas, including the Staples Center, O2 Arena and StubHub Center. He co-founded MLS, and has owned five different teams in the league. Now it’s down to two: the LA Galaxy and the majority of the Houston Dynamo.
The richest NFL owners after Allen include the Rams’ relocation-minded Stan Kroenke ($7.6 billion), Dolphins owner Stephen Ross ($6.7 billion) — a Michigan booster and real estate developer involved with New York’s Hudson Yards project — the Jaguars’ Shahid Khan ($5.6 billion), Cowboys impresario Jerry Jones ($5 billion) and Patriots boss Robert Kraft ($4.8 billion).
Joan Tisch — the widow of former Giants owner Bob Tisch and the mother of Steve Tisch, the family’s point man in its shared ownership of Big Blue — is worth $3.4 billion.
In the NBA, Heat owner Micky Arison ($7.7 billion) checks in after Ballmer and Allen, followed by Magic owner Rich DeVos ($5.6 billion) and Knicks/Rangers owner Charles Dolan ($4.7 billion). Dolan’s son James runs both teams, much to the chagrin of their fans.
The top baseball owners are the Nationals’ Ted Lerner ($5.5 billion), the Tigers’ Michael Ilitch ($5.4 billion), Red Sox owner John Henry ($2.2 billion) — who also owns Liverpool of Britain’s Premier League — and Dodgers owner Mark Walter ($2.2 billion).
Additionally, the Glazer family — which checked in as the country’s 63rd-richest family, worth a combined $4.7 billion — owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Premier League leaders Manchester United.
Behind the scenes, Nike’s rising stock saw co-founder Phil Knight’s worth hit $26 billion to crack the list’s top 20 at No. 17. Though he isn’t the owner of a pro team, he essentially owns the Oregon Ducks, a game-changing booster for his alma mater, where he ran track for co-founder Bill Bowerman.
Carl Icahn, among New York’s richest men at $20.5 billion, has Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island named after him following huge donations and also established Foxfield Thoroughbreds in 1985.
Under Armour founder Kevin Plank — a noted Maryland booster — checked in at $3.9 billion, with UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta at $1.7 billion each.