Cover Athletes Who Own Sports Teams: The 2026 List$3BRising Alejandro Rioja▲Rising Sarah Kugelman▲
Vol. 8 · TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026SubscribeContribute
Absolute Baller.
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
A stake in a franchise compounds long after the sport stops paying you to play it.
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

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04 Features

The Baller Index

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

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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
—
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