Cover Athletes Who Own Sports Teams: The 2026 List$3BRising Alejandro Rioja▲Rising Sarah Kugelman▲
Vol. 8 · TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026SubscribeContribute
Absolute Baller.
“Stories of People Breaking the Status Quo”An Independent Magazine
Cover Story · Money

Athletes Who Own Sports Teams: The 2026 List

Michael Jordan's $275M Hornets bet became a $3B exit. LeBron, Serena, A-Rod and Mahomes followed the same playbook. The 2026 ownership rundown.

By Absolute BallerAUG 08, 20267 min read
Read the Cover
$3Bwhat Michael Jordan's Charlotte Hornets stake sold for in 2023
10xJordan's return on the $275M he paid for majority control in 2010
$1.5Bprice Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore paid for the Timberwolves and Lynx

Also In This Issue

04 Features

The Baller Index

How the world's top athletes actually built — and kept — their fortunes.

See the Full Index
Coco Gauff preparing to serve, racquet and ball raised, on a blue hard courtMoney

Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2026: No Women in Forbes Top 50

Absolute Baller·7 min
Floyd Mayweather standing on the scale at the 2015 weigh-in for his fight against Manny Pacquiao in Las VegasMoney

Floyd Mayweather Net Worth 2026: Why Nobody Agrees

Absolute Baller·8 min
Stephen Curry looks upward mid-game in a white Golden State Warriors jerseyMoney

Stephen Curry Net Worth 2026: Inside His $240M Fortune

Absolute Baller·7 min
Serena Williams follows through on a forehand in a Nike kit during a match at the 2013 US OpenMoney

Serena Williams Net Worth 2026: Richest Female Athlete

Absolute Baller·7 min
Canelo Álvarez in a suit and open-collar shirt, photographed in Mexico City in 2013Money

Canelo Álvarez Net Worth 2026: Inside His $300M Fortune

Absolute Baller·8 min
Lionel Messi in profile in an Inter Miami shirt, 2025Money

Lionel Messi Net Worth 2026: Inside His $1.1B Empire

Absolute Baller·8 min

The Baller List

The people we can’t stop watching this issue.

// Standings
Rk
Name
Sector
Mv
01

Alejandro Rioja

Founder

Business
▲
02

Sarah Kugelman

Founder & CEO

Money
▲
03

Darren Darnborough

Actor · Co-Founder

Culture
▲
04

Kerrie Campbell

Founder & Coach

Culture
—
05

Precious Williams

Founder · Pitch Coach

Business
—
The Newsletter

One story a week — the boldest moves, the lessons worth stealing. Free.

No spam · Unsubscribe anytime

Latest

From the Desk
Illustration: a wireframe globe beside a rising standings bar chartMoney

Richest Athletes in the World by Net Worth: 2026 Rankings

Absolute Baller·7 min
Illustration: three rising stacks of coins under an upward earnings arrowMoney

The World's 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in 2026

Absolute Baller·7 min
Alejandro Rioja Is Building the Club Software He Wishes Existed — Absolute BallerBusiness

Courtlines: The Club OS Alejandro Rioja Built Himself

Absolute Baller·4 min
Rows of empty yellow seats in a deserted stadium standMoney

Why Pro Athletes Go Broke: The Financial Traps

Absolute Baller·6 min
David Nelson, founder of FoundersForgeCulture

David Nelson Is Building Appalachia's Startup Scene

Absolute Baller·4 min
Anna Cobb, founder and CEO of RejuvenationBusiness

Anna Cobb Turned a Near-Fatal Reaction Into a Brand

Absolute Baller·4 min
The Newsletter

Inspiring stories in your inbox, every week.

One baller story, one lesson worth stealing, and the boldest moves of the week. Free. No spam, ever.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY · UNSUBSCRIBE ANYTIME