Atlanta Braves

Owner: Liberty Media Corporation and John Malone

Net Worth (Malone):  $2.2 billion as of 2005

Source of wealth: Various executive positions

2010 Forbes Franchise Valuation: $450 million

Malone graduated with a Masters degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1964. He held various positions with AT&T, McKinsey & Company, General Instrument Corporation, Jerrold Electronics and Tele-Communications Inc as well as several Board of Director positions. He is currently the Chairman of the Liberty Media Corporation.

The Liberty Media Group purchased the Braves in 2007 from Time Warner (who inherited the Braves after purchasing TBS from Ted Turner). The deal included the exchange of the Braves, valued in the deal at $450 million, a hobbyist magazine publishing company, and $980 million cash, for 68.5 million shares of Time Warner stock held by Liberty Media, then worth approximately $1.48 billion

Florida Marlins

Owner: Jeffrey Loria

Net Worth: Less than $400 million (as of 2002)

Source of wealth: Art

2010 Forbes Franchise Valuation: $317 million

After graduating from Yale University, Loria opened a private art dealing business Jeffrey H. Loria & Co. at the age of 24. His collection included works by Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore. He later attended Columbia Business School and published various books.

In 1999, Loria purchased 24% of the Montreal Expos for $12 million USD.  He later acquired 94 percent of the team. Other owners included the city of Montreal and Stephan Bronfman.

In 2002, Loria sold the Expos to Major League Baseball to the 29 other clubs for $120 million. Loria then purchased the Marlins from then owner John W. Henry for $158.5 million. Henry went on to purchase the Boston Red Sox.

New York Mets

Owner: Fred Wilpon

Net Worth: unconfirmed $500 million (he lost a reported $700 million in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme fraud)

Source of wealth: Investments (Sterling Equities)

2010 Forbes Franchise Valuation: $858 million

Wilpon founded Sterling Equities in 1972 with Saul Katz with an interest in real estate.  Sterling Equities went on to purchase and develop commercial properties, residential units and retail properties. They also provided venture capital funding to medical, bio-energy and other businesses.

Wilpon bought a 1% stake in the Mets in 1980 with Doubleday & Co. holding the remaining portion of the club. In 1986, Nelson Doubleday Jr. sold off his company and he and Wilpon became 50% partners in the Mets. In 2002, the Wilpon family purchased Doubleday’s 50% share in for $391 million.

Philadelphia Phillies

Owner: David Montgomery

Net Worth: unknown

Source of wealth: Worked his way up through the Phillies organization

2010 Forbes Franchise Valuation: $537 million

Montgomery attended the University of Pennsylvania for a double-major in liberal arts and history.  He later attended the Wharton Business School and graduated in 1970.

He began his career in the Phillies’ sales department in 1971, after reaching out to then Phillies’ ace Robin Roberts. He worked his way up through the company to director of sales and marketing, to the head of the business department.

In 1981, he purchased the team with co-owner Bill Giles for $30 million. Coincidentally, Giles started with the Phillies in 1969 and worked his way through various executive positions within the club.

Washington Nationals

Owner: Ted Lerner

Net Worth: $3 billion

Source of wealth: Real estate

2010 Forbes Franchise Valuation: $387 million

After serving the United States Army and attending The George Washington University and the The George Washington University Law School, he founded Lerner Enterprises in 1952. The company went on to develop ventures such as Chelsea Piers, several commercial developments, shopping centers and thousands of homes and apartment buildings.

In 2006, Lerner was awarded the Washington Nationals franchise (owned by Major League Baseball at the time). He bought the team for $450 million.