Who Is the Richest Sports Team Owner
The richest sports team owner is currently Elon Musk, whose estimated net worth exceeds $200 billion according to Forbes real-time tracking and public financial disclosures. Musk owns the NFL team XFL and holds stakes in multiple sports ventures through his broader portfolio of companies. His wealth is primarily derived from Tesla and SpaceX, which together drive the vast majority of his net worth.
Musk’s ownership of sports teams is part of a broader trend where billionaires from the technology and finance sectors acquire professional franchises. His entry into sports ownership aligns with his pattern of high-profile investments in industries outside his core businesses, including artificial intelligence and space exploration.
How Sports Team Ownership Valuations Work
Forbes publishes annual team valuations based on enterprise value, which includes purchase price, debt, and revenue streams such as media rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The most expensive sports teams consistently include NFL franchises, NBA teams, and Major League Soccer clubs, with recent transactions exceeding $5 billion per team.
Ownership structures vary, with some billionaires purchasing teams outright through personal holding companies and others using investment groups or family offices. Public filings and regulatory documents from the SEC and league offices provide verifiable data on ownership stakes, purchase prices, and financing arrangements.
Top Sports Teams Owned by Billionaires
Beyond Musk, other prominent sports team owners include Steve Ballmer, who purchased the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers for a record $2 billion in 2014 and has since overseen significant increases in franchise value. Ballmer’s net worth is largely tied to his former role as CEO of Microsoft and his personal investments in technology and real estate.
Other major sports team owners include Jeff Bezos, who acquired a stake in a professional soccer club, and several NBA and NFL owners whose collective wealth exceeds $100 billion. These investments are often driven by the global growth of sports media rights, league expansion, and the increasing commercialization of athletic leagues worldwide.