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Ranking the Worst Active Sports Owners in 2025

Current Worst Owners in Sports (2025 Edition)

Bad ownership can come from different things—cheapness, meddling, scandals, or just constant losing. Here are some of the worst active owners in sports today across different leagues:

🏈 NFL

1. Jimmy Haslam (Cleveland Browns, 2012–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Constantly fires coaches and GMs (6 head coaches in his first 7 years).
    • Scandal: His company, Pilot Flying J, was involved in a massive fraud case.
    • Guaranteed $230M to Deshaun Watson despite serious legal issues.
    • Browns have only had one playoff win under him.

2. Dean Spanos (Los Angeles Chargers, 1994–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Moved the Chargers from San Diego to L.A., where they have no real fanbase and alienated fans of San Diego.
    • Cheap with player facilities and front office hires.
    • Wastes talent like Justin Herbert with poor coaching decisions.

3. Woody Johnson (New York Jets, 2000–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Franchise instability: Constant coaching and GM changes have made the Jets one of the most unstable franchises.
    • Failed QB development: From Mark Sanchez to Zach Wilson, the Jets have been a disaster at developing quarterbacks.
    • Meddling ownership: Frequently involved in team decisions despite little football knowledge.

🏀 NBA

1. James Dolan (New York Knicks, 1999–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Knicks were terrible for nearly two decades under his leadership.
    • Banned franchise legends like Charles Oakley.
    • Prioritizes business over basketball (e.g., MSG surveillance, fights with fans).
    • The Knicks are finally getting better, but his history is awful.

2. Michael Jordan (Charlotte Hornets, 2010–2023) (Sold majority ownership in 2023, but still a minority owner)

  • Why he was bad:
    • The Hornets had one of the worst records in the NBA under his ownership.
    • Drafted busts like Adam Morrison and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
    • Sold the team in 2023 after years of dysfunction.
    • Hornets never won a playoff series in 13 years under Jordan.

3. Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks, 2000–2023, still minority owner) (Sold majority stake in 2023, but still involved)

  • Why he was bad (in recent years):
    • Let Jalen Brunson walk for nothing, a disastrous move.
    • Mavs struggled to build around Luka Dončić, making bad trades (Kristaps Porziņģis).
    • Toxic workplace scandal in 2018, with reports of harassment in the front office.

⚾ MLB

1. John Fisher (Oakland Athletics, 2005–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Moving the A’s to Las Vegas, abandoning a loyal fanbase.
    • Refuses to spend money; constantly has the lowest payroll in MLB.
    • Tore down multiple playoff teams (e.g., trading Matt Chapman, Sean Murphy).

2. Bob Nutting (Pittsburgh Pirates, 2007–present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Extreme cheapness—Pirates consistently have one of the lowest payrolls.
    • Rarely keeps star players (let Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole go).
    • Refuses to upgrade team facilities despite making millions.

3. Jerry Reinsdorf (Chicago White Sox, 1981–Present)

  • Why he’s bad:
    • Loyal to a fault—keeps hiring the wrong people (brought back Tony La Russa, a disaster).
    • One of the cheapest big-market owners—White Sox should be spending like the Cubs but don’t.
    • Worst-run front office in baseball, leading to years of mediocrity.

🏒 NHL

1. Eugene Melnyk (Ottawa Senators, 2003–2022, passed away, ownership transition still messy)

  • Why he was bad:
    • Cheap ownership led to losing key players (Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone).
    • Had a toxic relationship with fans and threatened to move the team.
    • Senators still struggling post-Melnyk due to front-office issues.

2. Rocky Wirtz (Chicago Blackhawks, 2007–2023, passed away, but family still runs team)

  • Why he was bad:
    • Mishandled the sexual assault scandal involving Kyle Beach.
    • Yelled at reporters asking about team accountability.
    • Blackhawks have declined massively since their Stanley Cup wins.

3. Francesco Aquilini (Vancouver Canucks, 2006–Present)

Why he’s bad:

  • Micromanages the team but has no real hockey knowledge.
  • Has fired multiple GMs and coaches in recent years, creating constant instability.
  • Canucks fans have protested his ownership due to lack of vision and frequent bad contracts.
  • Faced abuse allegations from his children, which further hurt his public image.

Who is the Worst Active Owner in Sports Right Now?

🔴 🏆 John Fisher (Oakland A’s, MLB) is the undisputed worst.

  • He’s actively destroying a franchise and betraying the fanbase.

🟠 Dishonorable Mentions:

  • Bob Nutting (Pirates) – Cheapness.
  • James Dolan (Knicks/Rangers) – Decades of dysfunction.
  • Dan Snyder (Former Commanders) – Bad Guy.

Who do you think is the worst?

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