Soccer Magnate Richest Of Rich In Sports

John Kluge, one of the investors in the proposed Major League Soccer, at $5.9 billion is the wealthiest person is sports, according to the July 17 “Forbes.’

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, is second on the list at $5.3 million. (Bill Gates, who along with Allen founded the computer software firm in Redmond, Wash., tops the list as the world’s richest private individual, with a $12.9 billion fortune.)

Among sports figures, Kluge and Allen were followed by the Mellon family, which owns thouroughbred horses, at $5 billion. Also making the list was the McCaw family, which holds a minority interest in the Seattle Mariners, at $2.5 billion.

Orlando Magic owner Richard DeVos is listed at $4.13 billion, and Gianni Agnelli, who owns Italian League soccer champion Juventus of Turin, is at $3.3 billion. Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier who owns the soccer team AC Milan, is at $2.5 billion.

The Gund family, which owns the Cleveland Cavaliers, has $2.07 billion. The Phipps family of thoroughbred racing is at $2 billion, and the Crown family, which owns a minority interest in the New York Yankees, is at $1.98 billion.

Ted Turner of Turner Broadcasting fame, owner of the Atlanta Braves and Hawks, is at $1.72 billion.