The sports team owners on the new Forbes 400 list are worth a combined $392 billion, up 42% over the past year.

Owning a professional sports team in the U.S. has proven to be a solid investment, and this past year was no exception. But for many of the billionaire sports team owners on the newly released 2021 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, large increases in their fortunes have  come from investments outside of sports. The combined fortune of the 44 Forbes 400 members who own controlling stakes in major sports teams is up a staggering 42%, to $392.4 billion, over the past year.

Steve Ballmer leads the way as the richest team owner for the seventh straight year, with a net worth of $96.5 billion, up $27.5 billion from a year ago. A former Microsoft executive who led the company as CEO from 2000 to 2014, Ballmer still owns a stake in the tech giant, shares of which rose 33% in the last year. The same year he retired, he purchased the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. The team is worth $2.75 billion today, according to Forbes. Ballmer ranks tenth overall on The Forbes 400.

Another big gainer this year is Dan Gilbert, the billionaire mortgage tycoon and owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s worth an estimated $30.9 billion, up $23.4 billion from a year ago, which moves him from the eighth to the second spot on the list of richest sports team owners. Now the largest mortgage lender in the United States, Gilbert’s Quicken Loans went public as Rocket Companies at a massive $36 billion valuation in August 2020, catapulting Gilbert up the ranks of the world’s richest billionaires.

Following him is Robert Pera, with a net worth of $19 billion. He paid $377 million for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies in 2012; Today, the team is worth $1.3 billion, according to Forbes’ estimates. Pera is founder and CEO of wireless equipment maker Ubiquiti Networks—and much of his wealth comes from his 75% stake in the publicly-traded company. 

Rounding out the top five richest sports team owners are two billionaires who made their fortunes in the hedge fund industry: Steve Cohen and David Tepper, worth $16 billion and $15.8 billion, respectively. In October 2020, Cohen completed his purchase of the New York Mets baseball team for $2.4 billion. Tepper, meanwhile, bought the NFL’s Carolina Panthers for $2.3 billion in 2018; The team is now worth $2.9 billion, according to Forbes’ estimates.

Here is the comprehensive list of all the sports team owners on the 2021 Forbes 400 list.

(Net worths are as of September 3, 2021)

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1. Steve Ballmer

Net Worth: $96.5 billion

Source of wealth: Microsoft

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

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2. Daniel Gilbert

Net Worth: $30.9 billion

Source of wealth: Quicken Loans

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

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3. Robert Pera

Net Worth: $19 billion

Source of wealth: Wireless networking gear

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

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4. Steve Cohen

Net Worth: $16 billion

Source of wealth: Hedge funds

Team: New York Mets

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5. David Tepper

Net Worth: $15.8 billion

Source of wealth: Hedge funds

Team: Carolina Panthers

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6. Philip Anschutz

Net Worth: $10.8 billion

Source of wealth: Investments

Teams: Los Angeles Kings, LA Galaxy

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7. Stanley Kroenke

Net Worth: $10.7 billion

Source of wealth: Sports, real estate

Teams: Arsenal, Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Avalanche

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8. Ann Walton Kroenke

Net Worth: $9.3 billion

Source of wealth: Walmart

Team: Denver Nuggets

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9. Jerry Jones

Net Worth: $9.1 billion

Source of wealth: Cowboys

Team: Dallas Cowboys

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10. Shahid Khan

Net Worth: $8.5 billion

Source of wealth: Auto parts

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

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11. Rocco Commisso

Net Worth: $8.4 billion

Source of wealth: Telecom

Team: AFC Fiorentina

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12. Robert Kraft

Net Worth: $8.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Patriots

Teams: New England Patriots, New England Revolution

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12. Stephen Ross

Net Worth: $8.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Miami Dolphins

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14. Arthur Blank

Net Worth: $7.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Home Depot

Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United

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15. Micky Arison

Net Worth: $6.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Carnival Cruises

Team: Miami Heat

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16. Henry Samueli

Net Worth: $6.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Semiconductors

Team: Anaheim Ducks

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17. Tilman Fertitta

Net Worth: $6.3 billion

Source of Wealth: Entertainment

Team: Houston Rockets

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18. Antony Ressler

Net Worth: $6.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Finance

Team: Atlanta Hawks

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19. Tom Gores

Net Worth: $5.9 billion

Source of Wealth: Private equity

Team: Detroit Pistons

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20. Stephen Bisciotti

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Staffing

Team: Baltimore Ravens

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20. Joshua Harris

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Private equity

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Crystal Palace

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20. Terrence Pegula

Net Worth: $5.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Natural gas

Teams: Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres

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23. Charles Dolan & family

Net Worth: $5.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Cable TV

Teams: New York Knicks, New York Rangers

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23. Charles B. Johnson

Net Worth: $5.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Money management

Team: San Francisco Giants

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25. Mark Walter

Net Worth: $5.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Finance

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

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26. Ted Lerner & family

Net Worth: $4.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Washington Nationals

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27. Mark Cuban

Net Worth: $4.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Online media

Team: Dallas Mavericks

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28. Dan Friedkin

Net Worth: $4.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Toyota dealerships

Team: A.S. Roma

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28. Marian Ilitch

Net Worth: $4.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Little Caesars

Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers

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30. Janice McNair

Net Worth: $4.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Energy, sports

Team: Houston Texans

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31. Dan Snyder

Net Worth: $4 billion

Source of Wealth: Washington Football Team

Team: Washington Football Team

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31. Denise York & family

Net Worth: $4 billion

Source of Wealth: San Francisco 49ers

Team: San Francisco 49ers

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33. Gayle Benson

Net Worth: $3.8 billion

Source of Wealth: Sports teams

Teams: New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans

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34. Jimmy Haslam

Net Worth: $3.7 billion

Source of Wealth: Gas stations, retail

Teams: Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew

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35. John Henry

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Sports

Teams: Boston Red Sox, Liverpool, Roush Fenway Racing

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35. Arturo Moreno

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Billboards

Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

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35. Vincent Viola

Net Worth: $3.6 billion

Source of Wealth: Electronic trading

Team: Florida Panthers

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38. James Irsay

Net Worth: $3.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Indianapolis Colts

Team: Indianapolis Colts

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38. Jeffrey Lurie

Net Worth: $3.5 billion

Source of Wealth: Philadelphia Eagles

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

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40. John Middleton

Net Worth: $3.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Tobacco

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

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40. Simon Herb

Net Worth: $3.4 billion

Source of Wealth: Real estate

Team: Indiana Pacers

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42. Gail Miller

Net Worth: $3.2 billion

Source of Wealth: Car dealerships

Team: Utah Jazz

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43. Jeremy Jacobs Sr & family

Net Worth: $3 billion

Source of Wealth: Food service

Team: Boston Bruins

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44. John Fisher

Net Worth: $2.9 billion

Source of Wealth: Gap

Teams: Oakland Athletics, San Jose Earthquakes, Celtic Glasgow

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SEE THE FORBES 400 LIST OF 2021

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