Lists

25 Sports Owners Fans Loved to Hate

Darren - February 11, 2020

Lists

25 Sports Owners Fans Loved to Hate

Darren - February 11, 2020

11. Mikhail Prokhorov – Brooklyn Nets

Apart from their move to the Barclay Center, the Brooklyn Nets didn’t have a good time under Prokhorov. As the first non-American franchise owner in NBA history, he came into the league with a level of mystique around him. That turned to disbelief when it became clear that he was totally hapless.

He tried to run against Vladimir Putin for the Russian presidency. In sum, that should tell you all you need to know about his decision making. He traded the likes of Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries for over-the-hill stars like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. They won one playoff series during his decade in charge – definitely not successful.

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10. Donald Sterling – Los Angeles Clippers

Sterling was a massive racist. Do we have to continue? Not only that, but he was also totally inept as the team’s owner. First of all, he alienated fans by moving the Clippers from San Diego to Los Angeles. That might have been okay if the results had followed. In short, they definitely didn’t.

In his first 25-plus seasons as a team owner, they made four playoff appearances and won just a single playoff series. That’s a grim record. Then there was that lawsuit led by former Clippers executive Elgin Baylor. Finally, the NFL forced him out and he sold the Clippers for $2 billion in 2014.

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9. James Dolan – New York Knicks

The only good thing you can say about Dolan’s reign in charge of the Knicks is that he’s accountable. But that doesn’t make it much easier for fans who have seen their team run into the ground during his tenure as owner. They’ve been worse than bad.

At least the worst teams get the best draft picks. But Dolan’s Knicks have floated along with 13 coaches in 18 years. You have to go back all the way to 1973 for the last time they won a championship. This is despite being the most valuable franchise in the NBA today. There is just no excuse.

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8. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner – New York Yankees

Things might be starting to come together for the Yankees finally, but it’s been a long slog of a decade. After George Steinbrenner passed away, his bumbling sons Hank and Hal took over the ownership. They’ve presided over one of the worst decades in the history of the franchise.

They’ve spent most of the time throwing money at problems without any real idea how to fix them. Obviously, this isn’t a recipe for success. They’ve lost the American League Championship four times in the past decade. The Steinbrenners just haven’t had a strong plan.

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7. Jeffrey Loria – Miami Marlins

The definition of a snake oil salesman, Loria’s ownership of the Marlins has been horrendous. After winning the World Series in 2003, he oversaw a complete overhaul of his roster. He did everything he could to increase his bottom line, totally gutting the team. The results reflected his actions.

In the late 2000s, he went full oligarch and held the city hostage for a new stadium. He pulled the classic tactic of threatening to relocate if they didn’t pay. Ultimately they succumbed to his demands and funded the majority of the construction. He even lied and told Jose Reyes to buy a house in Miami four days before sending him to Canada.

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6. The Oystons – Blackpool

Owen and his son Karl are definitely the two most despised owners in soccer history. It’s a tale of harrowing neglect that stretched back to 1988. First, there was a rape conviction for Owen in 1995. Then they sued supporters who dared to criticize them for their handling of the club. But that wasn’t all.

Their illegitimate asset stripping is what really got the fans furious. When they went back down that cost them dearly and the team suffered badly. Fans protested and stayed away from the stadium. A court ordered the Oystons to pay $35 million owed to their minority shareholder. Finally, they put the club up for sale.

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5. Robert and Jim Irsay – Indianapolis Colts

This father and son duo definitely riled up the masses. First of all, Robert moved the Colts in the dead of night from Baltimore to Indianapolis to avoid the city seizing the franchise. In short, this made him a major hate figure in Maryland. To this day, the Ravens won’t display the Colts name when they host Indianapolis.

After the death of his father, Jim became the youngest ever NFL owner. He helped to bring his franchise a Super Bowl, but his overall lack of class has seen him earn the disgust of many fans. When his mistress overdosed in a house bought with Colts’ money, it really set things off.

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4. John Spano – New York Islanders

When a new owner comes in, the first thing that fans want to know is, how much money does he have? It quickly becomes clear that they’re more than willing to overlook shady pasts or dubious morals if they’re going to invest heavily in their team. But if they don’t, it’s unforgivable.

Enter Spano. It quickly became clear that all of his promises were lies and that he didn’t have the money for a new suit, nevermind investment in his franchise. Finally, in 1997 the NFL forced him out of the Islanders. Then a court convicted and jailed him twice for fraud.

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3. Frank McCourt – Los Angeles Dodgers

The former Dodgers owner is one of the shadiest figures to ever own a US franchise. According to the LA Times, he was the most hated man in Los Angeles. He pulled over $100 million in team assets to fund his lavish lifestyle. That definitely won’t help you win the love of the fans.

He managed to run up massive debts, even owing money to legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully. Then there was his messy divorce with his former wife Jamie. After the MLB raised concerns over the franchise’s finances, he finally reached a deal to put them up for sale.

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2. Daniel Snyder – Washington Redskins

One of the worst owners in the world, Snyder has made a total mess out of the Redskins. Fans totally despise him and want him gone. You can’t blame them either. In 2008, many season ticket holders couldn’t afford to pay because of the recession. Snyder’s response was to sue them.

The team has also been dramatically unsuccessful on the field. You can get away with being a terrible person as long as the franchise is winning. You could call them consistent, but consistently awful. From ineptitude on the field to the dysfunction in the board room, his reign of terror is crippling the franchise.

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1. Mark Davis – Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are one of the most distinctive franchises in the US. With their black and silver colors, their fanbase is famously fanatical. They’re part of Oakland’s fabric or were until Mark Davis lost patience with the city. From 2020 forward, they’ll be playing their home games in Las Vegas.

After struggling to get support for a new stadium, Davis gave up trying. Against the will of the fans, he decided to move the franchise to Sin City. After their final game in Oakland, a defeat to the Jaguars, he showed no remorse or sympathy to the plight of those left behind. He’s heartless and has a terrible haircut.

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