Among the richest people on the planet, it has become commonplace to acquire football and hockey clubs. Some wealthy sports fans invest in basketball, American football, baseball and even cricket.
What fortune is required in order to afford to own a sports club? Experts from the ubiquitous Forbes magazine tried to answer this question. We took the results of the investigation as a basis for the current Top 10 richest sports club owners.
10. Mickey Arison (USA, net worth: $ 5.7 billion)
Arison owns the Miami Heat NBA basketball team. In 2012, the club won the NBA title. The club's capitalization is estimated at about $ 625 million, an increase of almost 40% over the year. Such successes in sports help Arison cope with setbacks in his core business. The world's largest cruise company, Carnival Cruises, is the backbone of the American billionaire's wealth, but after the Costa Concordia disaster, the company's shares have dropped significantly.
9.Charles Johnson (USA, net worth: $ 5.7 billion)
Johnson is an ardent baseball fan and is the owner of the San Francisco Giants. The team holds the record for the number of matches won, as well as for the number of players represented in the Hall of Fame. The most non-public billionaire in the United States always appears in public when his favorite team triumphs.
8. Margarita Louis-Dreyfus (Switzerland, fortune: $ 6 billion)
A native of Leningrad, the widow of the French tycoon Robert Louis-Dreyfus inherited the Olympique Marseille football club from her husband. So far, the team has not won high-profile titles under the leadership of Margarita, but Madame is investing significant funds in the development of the club.
7. Silvio Berlusconi (Italy, net worth: $ 6.2 billion)
The romance between Berlusconi and the AC Milan football club has been going on for many years. The investments of the most eccentric European politician have helped the team win every trophy imaginable and even survive the corruption scandal without any losses. Truth be told, today Berlusconi's financial affairs are not so brilliant, and rumors about the sale of the club persist in Italy.
6. Phil Anschutz (USA, net worth: $ 10 billion)
The 73-year-old owner of Anschutz Entertainment Group did not choose one thing and acquired two teams at once: the football Los Angeles Galaxy and the hockey Los Angeles Kings. The investment clearly benefits the clubs - the Kings won the Stanley Cup again last year. Phil Anschutz plans to build a $ 1 billion football stadium.
5. Roman Abramovich (Russia, net worth: $ 10.2 billion)
The owner of the Chelsea football club has won all possible awards with his team on the English and European arena. For 8 years, the Russian oligarch spent about $ 1.3 billion on the team, and Abramovich plans to build a new magnificent stadium.
4. Mikhail Prokhorov (Russia, net worth: $ 13 billion)
Prokhorov became a recognizable figure in the States after purchasing the Brooklyn Nets basketball club.Thanks to the investment, the athletes have moved to New York's ultra-modern arena, the Barclays Center, and amassed a brilliant all-star cast. Among basketball players, Prokhorov, with his height of 203 cm, clearly feels like his own person.
3. Paul Allen (USA, fortune: $ 15 billion)
The Microsoft co-founder owns the Seattle Seahawks (American football) and Portland Trail Blazers (basketball). In addition, one of the world's richest sports club owners has a stake in the Seattle Sounders American football team.
2. Rinat Akhmetov (Ukraine, fortune: $ 15.4 billion)
The richest businessman in Ukraine is ranked 47th in the Forbes billionaire ranking and is the owner of the Shakhtar football club. Akhmetov has been investing in the development of football in his native Donetsk for about 20 years. Shakhtar was the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup, and the Donetsk stadium with 50,000 seats in 2012 hosted the European Championship semi-finals.
1. Mukesh Ambani (India, net worth: $ 21.5 billion)
The richest sports club owner invests his money in cricket. Ambani is actively involved in the life of the Mumbai Indians - one of the most popular teams in India. In 2011, the club won the most prestigious cricket tournament, namely the Twenty20 Champions League.