Thursday, September 11, 2008
Hannan / Sports Titans' Owner Bud Adams is a Pauper by NFL Standards
Posted by Caleb Hannan on Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Bud Adams: Smiling Through the Pain
Tough week for Bud Adams. First, his star quarterback pulls a Pop Warner-quality pout fest. Now, with the release of Forbes' annual ranking of NFL teams, he has to suffer the public indignity of being named one of only 12 owners whose franchise isn't worth a billion.
The Forbes list, which kind of reads like a who's who of guys who were smarter than your grandpa, ranks the Titans 20th. It's the continuation of a steady decline; since 2004, when it was only a few years removed from a Super Bowl run, the Titans were ranked 14th.
But all is not lost for Adams. Being ranked in the bottom half of NFL franchises is like being the 20th wealthiest Google stockholder; you're still raking in the dough. Thanks to billion-dollar TV deals, today's owners can turn a profit even if their on-the-field product is less than stellar. Case in point: The Titans' conference rival Houston Texans, whose 8-8 record last year did nothing to hamper luxury box sales at their new stadium or their number six ranking.
Adams' Titans may not bear the mark of the league's most valuable team; that honor is reserved for the dangerously-botoxed Jerry Jones, owner of "God's team," the Dallas Cowboys. But given the returns on his initial investment, a paltry $25,000 in 1959, it's safe to say Adams isn't too concerned with where he ranks.
like
dislike
