Big Bucks: Forbes Releases Its Top 10 Richest Sports Teams Owners List

To own a major sports franchise takes big bucks. Forbes just rolled out their list of the owners that make their competitors look like they have "baby money."

Last week, Forbes released its annual list of the world’s billionaires, citing over 1,100 people who get to enjoy some of life’s great toys, from yachts and private jets to plush vacation homes.

The toy of choice for some: sports. If you’re a fan, being a billionaire means you can do even better than prime seats, valet parking and wait service. You can buy the team. In fact, if you’re Paul Allen, the original No. 2 guy at Microsoft worth $14.2 billion, you don’t even have to choose between the Pacific Northwest’s NBA and NFL franchises. You can have both.


Here's a look at the top ten richest owners in sports

 10. Joe Lewis

Worth: $3.8 billion
Forbes Rank: 290
Team: Tottenham Hotspur Currency trader is opening a multi-building medical center near Orlando, Fla. this year.


9. Micky Arison

Worth: $ 4.7 billion
Forbes Rank: 223
Team: Miami Heat LeBron and D-Wade just came up short in their quest to deliver Arison an NBA title last season, but they’re looking even stronger this year.

8. Richard DeVos

Worth: $5 billion
Forbes Rank: 205
Team: Orlando Magic Amway founder may not have superstar Dwight Howard to help sell out his new arena.


7. Silvio Berlusconi

Worth: $5.9 billion
Forbes Rank: 169
Team: AC Milan The former Italian prime minister skated on corruption charges, but still faces allegations of tax fraud and sex with a minor.


6.Philip Anschutz

Worth: $7 billion
Forbes Rank: 133
Team: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings Anschutz’s sports empire includes the MLS along with areans like the Staples Center in Los Angeles and O2 Arena in London.


5. Roman Abramovich

Worth: $12.1 billion
Forbes Rank: 68
Team: Chelsea Russian steel and mining giant just sacked Andre Villas-Boas as Chelsea manager, leading to criticism in the UK from those leery of “foreign owners.”


4. Mikhail Prokhorov

Worth: $13.2 billion
Forbes Rank: 58
Team: New Jersey Nets It’s on to Brooklyn in the fall for the metals tycoon, who garnered 8% of the vote in this year’s Russian presidential election.


3. Paul Allen

Worth: $14.2 billion
Forbes Rank: 48
Team: Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers Would you rather own a franchise in the NBA or the NFL? When you’re the original No. 2 guy at Microsoft, why not both?


2. Rinat Akhmetov

Worth: $16 billion
Forbes Rank: 39
Team: FC Shakhtar Donesk Ukranian businessman founded System Capital Management, a mining and steel company with some $23 billion in assets. His soccer club took the UEFA Cup in 2009, the first Ukrainian team to do so.



1. Mukesh Ambani


Worth: $22.3 billion
Forbes Rank: 19
Team: Mumbai Indians (Cricket) Chairman of oil & gas conglomerate Reliance Industries ranks as Asia’s second-wealthiest man. Reliance is a big sponsor or Cricket, India’s most popular sport. Ambani is a Cricket fanatic who reportedly once spent over a million dollars for boxes at the ICC World Cup final.