The Denver Gazette Sports Business Insider is a readers’ guide to understanding the influence of money, politics and power behind their favorite leagues, teams and players.

Sports Business Insider: Stan Kroenke remains the most lucrative sports team owner globally in 2026 with a team portfolio valued at over $26 billion.

Short version: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) owns the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Rams and Arsenal FC.

KSE is ranked as the most valuable sports empire in 2026, according to CNBC.

1. KSE: $26.05 billion
2. Jones family (Dallas Cowboys): $17.6 billion
3. Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils): $16.91 billion
4. Fenway Sports Group (Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, Liverpool): $15.37 billion
5. Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (New York Rangers, New York Knicks): $15.33 billion

KSE also topped the list a year ago with a team ownership portfolio valued at over $21 billion.

Long version: The 20 most valuable sports empires are worth a combined $269 billion, according to CNBC. Yet KSE stands alone.

It touts the most diverse ownership portfolio with teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Premier League soccer. KSE is valued at $8.45 billion more than the second-ranked sports empire. It has also enjoyed a strong run of recent championships.

In 2022, the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup and the Rams won the Super Bowl. In 2023, the Nuggets won the NBA Finals. In 2026, Arsenal won the Premier League championship.

Kevin Demoff, KSE president of team and media operations, spoke with CNBC about being the most valuable sports empire.

“It starts with the on-the-field product,” Demoff said. “That’s the core of any sports ownership group. For Stan Kroenke (and) Josh Kroenke, it’s always about winning. It’s about making sure these teams are successful. Then you try to build a meaningful business around that. Owning the venues, owning the media, and obviously the growth across the board in all sports properties. The strategy to combine them better together than we ever have before, I think, is why we lead on this list.”

Key context: The Broncos and Rockies did not make CNBC’s Top 20 list of most valuable sports empires in 2026.

The Walton-Penner family ownership group purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion in 2022 with controlling owner Greg Penner and co-owner Carrie Walton Penner at the forefront. In 2025, the husband-and-wife tandem also purchased about a 40% share of the Rockies.

The Broncos are valued at $6.8 billion (per Forbes). That ranks No. 15 in the NFL.

The Rockies, with controlling owner Dick Monfort, are valued at $1.68 billion (per Forbes). That ranks No. 25 in MLB.

What’s next: KSE has agreed to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in downtown Denver through 2050 as part of the River Mile development plan.