12/21/24
May 12, 2009
SI's list of best and worst owners.: Sports Illustrated has selected the five best and five worst owners for the top four professional American team sports. Among the criteria used to evaluate owners was the willingness to spend money to improve the team; the stability and capabilities of the front office and management; the amenities at the team's venue; and the club's culture and interactivity with fans. Of course, weighing heavily in the decision was the team's success or failure on the field. (via)
posted by Ufez Jones to general at 02:42 PM - 18 comments
Bo, 1500 million is $1.5 billion. (New York Yankees)
Hey, the Maple Leafs are number one !! It's been a long time since I've been able to say that.
Sigh.
posted by tommybiden at 03:29 PM on May 12, 2009
So why not put the B, instead of the M. Nit picky, I know. Just can't help it.
posted by BoKnows at 03:30 PM on May 12, 2009
I'm just wondering how Glen Taylor (of the Timberwolves) isn't on the NBA's worst list.
posted by TheQatarian at 03:38 PM on May 12, 2009
Wow, Peter Karmanos at number five for the best NHL owners? Well, they are breaking even on the year with this second round of the playoffs. That's something, right?
posted by NoMich at 04:14 PM on May 12, 2009
The Red Sox franchise ($1.8B) is worth more than the Yankees ($1.5)? Methinks there is an extra billion in front of the Boston number.
How about Mike Illitch buying the Red Wings in 1982 for $8 million? Pretty decent return on investment there, fella. And look at what some of the owners of the long-time football franchises paid ($500 for the NY Giants, $2,500 for the Steelers), although those purchases go way back.
posted by holden at 04:19 PM on May 12, 2009
my completely delusional Raider fan friends are only now beginning to smell the rot on ZOMBIE AL!
posted by setlasmon at 05:28 PM on May 12, 2009
I'm sorry, but there's no way Al Davis is worse than Bill Ford Jr. It says right in the article Davis has 3 SB rings...the Lions have never even been. And would Al Davis, crazy zombie that he is, stick with Matt Millen for 7 years? I rest my case...
posted by MeatSaber at 06:31 PM on May 12, 2009
I think they made a typographical error by putting an M after $917 for the Lions' current value.
posted by smithnyiu at 06:34 PM on May 12, 2009
Small world tidbit - DeWitt (Cardinals) and Brown's (Bengals) kids were on the same youth hockey team as Castellini's (Reds) and me (poor). Where's my team?
posted by tahoemoj at 06:55 PM on May 12, 2009
Yes, but you are a member of Sportsfilter and they are not.
posted by BoKnows at 06:57 PM on May 12, 2009
Nice!
posted by tahoemoj at 12:27 AM on May 13, 2009
Yes, but you are a member of Sportsfilter and they are not.
That's what you think...
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:07 PM on May 13, 2009
Once you throw in a few financial worries at Liverpool, Tom Hicks may be a top-5 worst owner worldwide. And yes, Maple Leaf and Islander ownership had their last clues ages ago. You see where that got them!
posted by jjzucal at 01:52 PM on May 14, 2009
The Rooney family to me stands above everyone, that was not a shock.
I was not sure of their finances but they do what needs to be done to win and you can't ask for much more stability in the front office and sidelines. Plus the success of the team and fan support can hardly be questioned.
posted by scottypup at 05:51 PM on May 14, 2009
scottypup,
Everything you've said applies also to the Illitches, just minus 50 years of ownership...
posted by MeatSaber at 08:21 PM on May 14, 2009
I'm not a follower of Hockey so could not comment on any of the owners in that league, good or bad.
posted by scottypup at 09:01 AM on May 15, 2009
I don't know much about most of the owners on the list, but Illitch is much deserving of his number one ranking. Before Illtich the Wings were dreadful and they weren't selling tickets. Under his ownership the Wings have flourished and have been the leagues most successful franchise for the past 15 years. Of course, they're still having trouble selling tickets but that is more due to the economy than anything else.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:13 PM on May 16, 2009
Thanks for posting this, Ufez. I'm glad to see DeWitt get some credit as to how he has handled the Cardinals franchise during the last 14 years.
I think there is a screw up in the current values column on the chart. Some should be billion right?