The wealthiest sports owners in America control some of the biggest franchises across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and European soccer, but two names stand well above the rest when it comes to estimated net worth.
According to the Forbes ranking of America’s richest sports owners shown in the latest list, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer ranks No. 1 with an estimated net worth of $156 billion.
Denver Broncos owner Rob Walton ranks second at $132 billion, while Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli is a distant third at $33.8 billion.
The top 20 also includes prominent owners such as Miriam Adelson, Stan Kroenke, Steve Cohen, Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, Arthur Blank and Shahid Khan.
Here is the complete list of America’s richest sports owners and their estimated net worths.
Top 20 Richest Sports Owners in America
| Rank | Owner | Estimated Net Worth | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Ballmer | $156.0 billion | Clippers |
| 2 | Rob Walton | $132.0 billion | Broncos |
| 3 | Henry Samueli | $33.8 billion | Ducks |
| 4 | Miriam Adelson | $33.5 billion | Mavericks |
| 5 | Robert Pera | $29.6 billion | Grizzlies |
| 6 | David Tepper | $28.5 billion | Panthers, Charlotte FC |
| 7 | Stan Kroenke | $27.6 billion | Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche, Rapids, Arsenal |
| 8 | Steve Cohen | $26.7 billion | Mets |
| 9 | Jerry Jones | $23.5 billion | Cowboys |
| 10 | Dan Gilbert | $22.9 billion | Cavaliers |
| 11 | Stephen Ross | $21.5 billion | Dolphins |
| 12 | Philip Anschutz | $19.3 billion | Kings, Galaxy |
| 13 | Shahid Khan | $16.5 billion | Jaguars, Fulham |
| 14 | Peter Mallouk | $16.5 billion | Sporting Kansas City |
| 15 | Robert Kraft | $15.2 billion | Patriots, Revolution |
| 16 | Arthur Blank | $13.2 billion | Falcons, Atlanta United |
| 17 | Dan Friedkin | $12.7 billion | Everton, Roma |
| 18 | Tilman Fertitta | $12.6 billion | Rockets, Sun |
| 19 | Josh Harris | $12.4 billion | Commanders, 76ers, Flyers |
| 20 | Jimmy Haslam | $12.2 billion | Browns, Bucks, Crew |
Who Is the Richest Sports Owner in America?
Steve Ballmer is the richest sports owner in America on the Forbes list, with an estimated net worth of $156 billion.
Ballmer owns the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA.
His estimated fortune puts him $24 billion ahead of second-place Rob Walton and more than four times the estimated wealth of third-place Henry Samueli.
Ballmer’s enormous wealth is closely associated with his longtime connection to Microsoft, where he served as CEO before purchasing the Clippers.
How Much Is Steve Ballmer Worth?
Forbes estimates Steve Ballmer’s net worth at $156 billion in the ranking.
That makes the Clippers owner not only one of the wealthiest figures in professional sports ownership but also one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States.
Ballmer purchased the Clippers in 2014, and the franchise has since moved into Intuit Dome, its own arena in Inglewood, California.
Rob Walton Is the Second-Richest Sports Owner
Rob Walton ranks No. 2 with an estimated net worth of $132 billion.
Walton is associated with the ownership group of the Denver Broncos, which acquired the NFL franchise in 2022.
There is a substantial gap between America’s two wealthiest sports owners and everyone else on the list.
Ballmer and Walton are the only two owners in the top 20 shown with estimated fortunes exceeding $100 billion.
Who Is the Third-Richest Sports Owner?
Henry Samueli ranks third at $33.8 billion.
Samueli owns the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL.
He narrowly ranks ahead of Miriam Adelson, whose estimated $33.5 billion fortune places her fourth. Adelson and her family are the controlling owners of the Dallas Mavericks.
Memphis Grizzlies owner Robert Pera rounds out the top five at $29.6 billion.
Richest NFL Owners
Several of the NFL’s most recognizable team owners appear among America’s 20 wealthiest sports owners.
Rob Walton leads the group with the Broncos and an estimated $132 billion fortune.
Other NFL-connected owners on the list include David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers at $28.5 billion, Stan Kroenke of the Los Angeles Rams at $27.6 billion, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys at $23.5 billion and Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins at $21.5 billion.
Further down the list are Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons, Josh Harris of the Washington Commanders and Jimmy Haslam of the Cleveland Browns.
Richest NBA Owners
Steve Ballmer’s $156 billion fortune puts the Clippers owner comfortably at the top of the NBA ownership group represented on the list.
Other NBA owners include Miriam Adelson with the Mavericks, Robert Pera with the Grizzlies and Dan Gilbert with the Cavaliers.
Several owners have investments spanning multiple leagues. Stan Kroenke, for example, is connected to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets in addition to franchises in the NFL, NHL, MLS and Premier League.
Josh Harris is associated with the Philadelphia 76ers, while Jimmy Haslam is connected to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Stan Kroenke Has One of the Largest Sports Portfolios
While Ballmer has the highest estimated net worth, Stan Kroenke stands out for the number of major sports franchises represented in the ranking.
The list associates Kroenke with the:
- Los Angeles Rams
- Denver Nuggets
- Colorado Avalanche
- Colorado Rapids
- Arsenal
That gives Kroenke interests spanning American football, basketball, hockey, soccer and England’s Premier League.
His estimated net worth is $27.6 billion, placing him seventh overall.
Sports Owners With European Soccer Clubs
Several owners on the list also have major interests in European soccer.
Stan Kroenke is associated with Arsenal, while Shahid Khan owns Fulham.
Dan Friedkin, who ranks 17th with an estimated $12.7 billion fortune, is associated with both Everton and Roma.
The list demonstrates how sports ownership has increasingly become international, with some billionaire owners controlling or investing in franchises across multiple countries and leagues.
How Rich Are America’s Top 20 Sports Owners?
Every owner appearing in the top 20 has an estimated net worth of at least $12.2 billion.
Jimmy Haslam occupies the No. 20 position at $12.2 billion, meaning even the lowest-ranked owner among these 20 has a fortune exceeding $12 billion.
At the other end of the ranking, Ballmer and Walton combine for an estimated $288 billion.
The enormous gap between the top two and the remainder of the list highlights just how unusual their fortunes are, even within the billionaire-heavy world of professional sports ownership.
America’s Richest Sports Owners: Top Five
The five wealthiest sports owners on the Forbes list are:
- Steve Ballmer — $156 billion — Los Angeles Clippers
- Rob Walton — $132 billion — Denver Broncos
- Henry Samueli — $33.8 billion — Anaheim Ducks
- Miriam Adelson — $33.5 billion — Dallas Mavericks
- Robert Pera — $29.6 billion — Memphis Grizzlies
For sports fans searching for who is the richest sports owner in America, the answer is Steve Ballmer. His estimated $156 billion net worth gives the Los Angeles Clippers owner a substantial lead at the top of the ranking.