From the Turf to the Trophies: A Growing Trend of crossover Ownership in Sports
The recent championship victories in both the national Hockey League and the National Basketball Association highlight a engaging trend: the increasing overlap between prominent figures in horse racing and professional sports team ownership. This isn’t a new phenomenon, but the simultaneous success of Vincent Viola and Everett Dobson underscores its continued relevance and growing profile.
Recent Championship Wins by Racing Industry Leaders
Vincent Viola, alongside his wife Teresa, operates St. Elias Stable, a name synonymous with racing excellence, having bred and campaigned both a Kentucky Derby winner and a Breeders’ Cup classic champion. On June 17th, Viola experienced the thrill of victory once more, as his Florida Panthers secured the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a hard-fought six-game series. This marks the Panthers’ second consecutive NHL championship under Viola’s stewardship.
Simultaneously occurring, in the NBA, Everett Dobson, a key figure in the ownership group that relocated the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 – rebranding them as the Oklahoma City Thunder – celebrated a historic win. The Thunder clinched their first NBA title since the move,overcoming the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game series that concluded on June 22nd.Dobson, who owns Cheyenne Stables and races at his Candy Meadows farm in Lexington, Kentucky, has seen his basketball investment reach its pinnacle.
both viola and dobson currently serve on The Jockey Club’s board of stewards, with Dobson poised to assume the chairmanship in August, succeeding stuart S. Janney III. This shared leadership role within the thoroughbred industry further emphasizes the connections between these two worlds.
A Ancient pattern: Where Racing and Sports Collide
The intersection of horse racing and professional sports ownership isn’t a recent progress. In fact, its roots stretch back nearly a century. The story often cited is that of Art Rooney, the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who reportedly financed the team’s initial launch in the 1930s with winnings from horse race betting. The Steelers went on to become one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, claiming six Super Bowl titles.The Rooney family’s continued involvement in both industries is exemplified by Tom Rooney, current head of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and their ongoing ownership of both horse racing and dog tracks.This pattern extends beyond football. Charles Bidwill, owner of Sportsman’s park racetrack, also helmed the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) for decades, though with considerably less success – the franchise has only one NFL championship to its name, won in 1947.
beyond the Founding Generation: Expanding the Legacy
The trend continued with figures like John Galbreath, a “Pillar of the Turf” inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. Galbreath’s Darby Dan Farm produced two Kentucky Derby winners and an Epsom Derby victor,while he simultaneously guided the Pittsburgh Pirates to three World Series championships over a 40-year period. Similarly,George Steinbrenner,through his Kinsman Stable,combined a passion for Thoroughbreds with a dominant run as owner of the New york Yankees,securing seven World Series titles after acquiring the team in 1973.
More recently, the list of individuals involved in both industries has grown. Gene Klein, owner of the kentucky derby-winning mare Winning Colors, also owned the San Diego Chargers. Bruce McNall, through Summa Stable, owned the Los Angeles Kings. Canadian entrepreneurs Steve Stavro and Eugene Melnyk had ownership stakes in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, respectively. Robert McNair, owner of Stonerside Farm, was also the principal owner of the Houston Texans. The late Tom Benson and his widow Gayle, through GMB Racing, oversaw both the Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.Even Herbert Tyner, a Michigan racetrack owner, held a partial ownership in the Detroit Pistons.
Why the Crossover? Diversification and Passion
The reasons behind this convergence are multifaceted. For many, it represents a diversification of investment portfolios. Owning a sports franchise, like a horse racing stable, requires meaningful capital, and spreading risk across multiple ventures can be a prudent financial strategy. However, it’s often more than just business. A shared passion for competition, breeding, strategy, and the thrill of victory seems to be a common thread among these individuals. Both horse racing and professional sports demand a long-term vision, meticulous planning, and the ability to navigate a complex landscape of regulations and public perception.
As both industries continue to evolve, it’s likely we’ll see even more individuals bridging the gap between the turf and the trophies, demonstrating that the pursuit of excellence knows no boundaries.