Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous: Sports Interests Among Forbes' Richest Americans

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, with ownership of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, WTA/ATP BNP Paribas Open and Oracle Racing sailing team (America’s Cup), tops the list of the richest Americans with a significant sports interest, according to the latest Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans. Ellison replaces Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet, who last year sold his interest in the Triple-A PCL Omaha Storm Chasers. Among the newcomers to the list this year are Grizzlies Owner Michael Pera, as well as online retailer Fanatics Exec Chair and 76ers investor Michael Rubin. Pera is just one of nine people under the age of 40 to crack the list. Among those falling off the list this year was Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder (THE DAILY).

'13 FORBES 400: RICHEST AMERICANS WITH INTERESTS IN SPORTS BUSINESS
RANK	NAME	WORTH	SPORTS INTEREST(S)
3	Larry Ellison	$41B	Indian Wells Tennis Garden Owner, Oracle Racing (America's Cup)
19	George Soros	$20B	EPL club Manchester United investor
24	Phil Knight	$16.3B	Nike Chair
26	Paul Allen	$15.8B	Seahawks, Trail Blazers Owner; MLS Sounders investor
30	Rupert Murdoch	$13.4B	News Corp. Chair & CEO (Fox Sports)
38	Phil Anschutz	$10.3B	AEG Chair
43	Steve Cohen	$9.4B	Mets investor
45	Patrick Soon-Shiong	$9B	Lakers investor
53	David Tepper	$7.9B	Steelers investor
60	Rich DeVos	$6.8B	Magic Owner
61	John Malone	$6.7B	Liberty Media Chair; Braves Owner
70	Micky Arison	$5.9B	Heat Owner
71	Sumner Redstone	$5.8B	Viacom Chair
74	Charles Johnson	$5.6B	MLB Giants investor
84	Stan Kroenke	$5.3B	Kroenke Sports Enterprises Owner
94	Stephen Ross	$4.8B	Dolphins Owner
102	Malcolm Glazer	$4.5B	Buccaneers, Manchester United Owner
110	Ted Lerner	$4B	Nationals Owner
118	Dan Gilbert	$3.9B	Cavaliers Owner
122	Shahid Khan	$3.8B	Jaguars, EPL club Fulham Owner
143	Ed Roski	$3.4B	Lakers, NHL Kings co-Owner
151	Charles Dolan	$3.3B	Cablevision Chair; MSG Owner
157	Michael Ilitch	$3.2B	Tigers, Red Wings Owner
161t	Terry Pegula	$3.1B	Sabres Owner
161t	Jim Davis	$3.1B	New Balance Chair & CEO
166t	Robert Rich	$3B	Rich Entertainment Group Owner (MiLB clubs)
166t	Jerry Jones	$3B	Cowboys Owner
184	Bob Kraft	$2.9B	Patriots, MLS Revolution Owner
193	Jeremy Jacobs	$2.8B	Bruins Owner; Delaware North Chair; NESN investor
193	John Fisher	$2.8B	A's, MLS Earthquakes, SPL club Celtic investor
201t	Ron Burkle	$2.7B	Penguins co-Owner
201t	Tom Gores	$2.7B	Pistons Owner
209	Eddie DeBartolo	$2.6B	DeBartolo Sports & Entertainment Chair
222t	Wayne Huizenga	$2.5B	Dolphins, NHL Panthers investor
222t	Mark Cuban	$2.5B	Mavericks Owner
222t	Josh Harris	$2.5B	76ers, Devils Owner
243t	Robert Piccinini	$2.3B	Warriors investor
243t	Michael Rubin	$2.3B	76ers investor
243t	Fred Smith	$2.3b	Redskins investor
260	Steve Bisciotti	$2.1B	Ravens Owner
273t	Jim France	$2B	Int'l Speedway Corp. Chair
273t	Bob McNair	$2B	Texans Owner
293t	Herb Simon	$1.95B	Pacers Owner
293t	Robert Pera	$1.95B	Grizzlies Owner
296t	Donald Sterling	$1.9B	Clippers Owner
296t	Ray Davis	$1.9B	MLB Rangers co-Owner
327t	Glen Taylor	$1.7B	T'Wolves Owner
327t	Henry Samueli	$1.7B	Ducks Owner
327t	Arthur Blank	$1.7B	Falcons Owner
327t	John Henry	$1.7B	Fenway Sports Group Owner (Liverpool, Red Sox)
327t	Kevin Plank	$1.7B	Under Armour Founder, Chair & CEO
342	Jim Irsay	$1.6B	Colts Owner
369	Jimmy Haslam III	$1.45B	Browns Owner
371	Patrick Ryan	$1.4B	Bears investor
386t	Frank Fertitta	$1.3B	UFC co-Owner
386t	Lorenzo Fertitta	$1.3B	UFC co-Owner
386t	Tom Benson	$1.3B	Hornets, Saints Owner
386t	Roger Penske	$1.3B	NASCAR, IndyCar team Owner

POWER PLAYERS: HBO's Bryant Gumbel discussed the Forbes 400 during “Real Sports” on Monday night. Gumbel: "It might surprise you to know that a whopping 61 billionaires didn’t make the cut and almost ten percent of those that did have a sports connection." Gumbel said some like Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, Heat Owner Micky Arison, and Tigers and Red Wings Owner Mike Illitch are "clearly good at building winners and making money." But as the inclusion of those like Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and Clippers Owner Donald Sterling "attests, you can still make a ton of money in sports even when you're lousy at it.” Nike's Phil Knight and UA's Kevin Plank appeared on the list, "suggesting that while clothes may not make the man, they sure do enrich the makers." There are no athletes on the list, which is a "fact worth remembering the next time you hear someone griping about overpaid jocks or the price of a ticket.” Gumbel: “We may think sports is about fun and fair play, but the list is a reminder that in sports, as in life, the golden rule still applies and he who has the gold, rules" ("Real Sports," HBO, 9/17).