LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - In a city known for fame and fortune, it’s no surprise that the richest owner in sports lives in Los Angeles.
Forbes recently named Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, the richest owner in sports for the eighth year in a row. It's worth noting he isn’t just the richest owner in sports. With a net worth estimated at $83 billion, he is also the eighth-richest person in the world.
Ballmer purchased the Clippers in 2014 after former owner Donald Sterling was forced to sell the team following a scandal that rocked the league involving alleged racist comments.
Now, it’s a new era.
A kid at heart, Ballmer is known for his vivacious personality and positive energy--often spotted rooting for the Clips from the sidelines.
On Clippers Media Day on Monday, Paul George and Reggie Jackson praised Ballmer’s leadership style. Jackson, a fan favorite in Clipper Nation, said he tries to emulate Ballmer’s positive energy as a consistent hype man for the team hungry to win the franchise’s first NBA championship.
Ballmer was also essential in making the moves to help refurbish all 350 of the city’s public basketball courts and getting the ball rolling on the Clippers having their own arena, which is set to open ahead of the 2024-25 season in Inglewood, near SoFi Stadium.
RELATED:
- Clippers, City celebrate renovating every public basketball court in LA
- 'Our own identity': Los Angeles Clippers break ground on new arena in Inglewood
From 2000-2014, Ballmer served as the SEO of Microsoft and still owns a share of the company.
The other owners in the top three are:
- Rob Walton: Owner of the Denver Broncos with a net worth of $56.7 billion.
- David Tepper: Owner of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC with a net worth of $18.5 billion.
The Clippers have the deepest roster in the NBA and the team’s payroll for the 2022-23 season is at roughly $192 million with an additional $144.7 million luxury tax payment, according to Hoops Hype. With stars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, and a handful of lethal role players, the team is as determined as ever to win an NBA title.