SI.com ranked the top five and bottom five owners in the four major sports, and two of Boston’s teams did quite well for themselves.
The ownership group of John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner topped the list for Major League Baseball, while Bob Kraft was named the NFL’s second-best owner.
The article explained how the process was determined, considering owners’ “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.”
The Red Sox ownership group was credited for building a successful team built for both the present and future, making the playoffs in five of the past six years and winning two championships — something that eluded the franchise for 80-plus years before their arrival. The team was worth $660 million when Henry and Co. took over, and the team’s value now stands at $816 million.
Kraft came in second in NFL owners, trailing the Rooney family in Pittsburgh and ranking ahead of the Mara and Tisch families of the Giants.
Kraft, who purchased the team in 1994 for $175 million, has increased the team’s value to roughly $1.3 billion, winning three Super Bowls and appearing in another two during that time.
While the owners of the Bruins and Celtics did not make the list, they also avoided the bottom five, which are as follows:
Worst owners in the NBA:
5. Charlotte Bobcats – Robert Johnson and Michael Jordan
4. Golden State Warriors – Chris Cohan
3. Memphis Grizzlies – Michael Heisley
2. New York Knicks – Cablevision/James Dolan
1. Los Angeles Clippers – Donald Sterling
Worst owners in the NHL:
5. Nashville Predators – Predator Holdings, LLC
4. Atlanta Thrashers – Atlanta Spirit
3. New York Islanders – Charles Wang
2. Florida Panthers – Alan Cohen
1. Toronto Maple Leafs – MLSE
Worst owners in the NFL:
5. San Francisco 49ers – Denise DeBartolo York
4. Cincinnati Bengals – Mike Brown
3. Washington Redskins – Daniel Snyder
2. Detroit Lions – William Clay Ford
1. Oakland Raiders – Al Davis
Worst owners in MLB:
5. Washington Nationals – Ted Lerner
4. Florida Marlins – Jeffrey Loria
3. Kansas City Royals – David Glass
2. Texas Rangers – Tom Hicks
1. Baltimore Orioles – Peter Angelo
