Find out who owns the Arizona Cardinals NFL team, including the owner's net worth, source of wealth, and ownership history.
The Arizona Cardinals are based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They joined the NFL in 1920 as a charter member and also hold the record as the oldest-running pro football team in the United States.
The Cardinals have won two NFL championships throughout their history and have been actively competing in the league.
Who owns the Arizona Cardinals?
As of January 25, the Arizona Cardinals are owned by Michael Bidwill, who inherited the franchise from his father in 2019. He is an American businessman.
Who is Michael Bidwill?
He is an American businessman who is in charge of the Arizona Cardinals as chairman and president of the team. He inherited the franchise from his father, Bill Bidwill, following his passing.
What is Michael Bidwill's net worth?
According to figures as of January 2025, Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has an estimated personal net worth of $1.4 billion. His earnings come from the ownership of the NFL franchise team.
What is Michael Bidwill's source of wealth?
Arizona Cardinals
Bidwill succeeded his father as chairman in October 2019 and is now only the sixth principal owner in franchise history.
Since assuming the top role at the NFL team, he has brought in reforms that have helped the team, including redevelopment of the team's stadium and other management aspects of the team.
Apart from his role at the top hierarchy of the Arizona Cardinals, Michael Bidwill is involved in other businesses in greater Phoenix and is an active member of the community's economic development.
He had served as the chairman of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and was a board member of the Greater Phoenix Leadership (GPL).
He has also chaired other business ventures that would lead to the economic development of the community.
In the NFL, Michael Bidwill has taken up different roles, including as a member of the Business Ventures Committee. He was also a member of Arizona's Super Bowl Host Committee that staged the Super Bowl XLII in 2008.
How have the Arizona Cardinals fared under the ownership of Michael Bidwill?
There have been mixed results for the Arizona Cardinals on the field of play. In 2019, there was an improvement in the team as they improved to 5–10–1 and kept up with the same energy and recorded 8–8 in 2020.
The 2021 NFL season was even more interesting for the Arizona Cardinals as they successfully appeared in the NFL playoffs. They recorded 11–6.
Arizona Cardinals ownership history
Since its establishment in 1898, the team has gone through different ownership. Chris O'Brien was the first owner of the team. Here's the ownership history of the Arizona Cardinals in detail.
Chris O'Brien (1898–1929)
Christopher O'Brien was the first owner of the Arizona Cardinals under its previous names, the Chicago Cardinals and the St. Louis Cardinals.
His role in the establishment of a pro football team in Chicago earned him the title as the father of pro football in the city.
His ownership of the NFL franchise started following the organisation of Morgan Athletic Club in 1898.
He later renamed the team the Racine Cardinals and continued with the development of the team until it won the Chicago City Championship.
In the build-up for the establishment of the NFL, O'Brien was in attendance with the Racine Cardinals, a charter member of the NFL.
Following the team's participation in the NFL, he later renamed the team the Chicago Cardinals. He eventually sold the NFL franchise in 1929 after running the team for over 25 years to David Jones for a fee believed to be in the region of $25,000.
David Jones (1929–1933)
The Arizona Cardinals had entered a new era following the exit by their original owner.
David Jones, who was a Chicago physician, had the task of running a team. He had mixed results running the team he recently bought from its original owner.
However, it would take a lot of investment in players and other aspects to run his newly purchased NFL franchise team.
After a series of mixed results since the takeover of the team, he finally decided to sell the NFL franchise team to Charles W. Bidwill for a fee around $50,000.
Charles Bidwill (1933–1947)
Following the takeover of the team from David Jones, Charles Bidwill became the third owner of the Arizona Cardinals in 1932 when the deal was completed.
According to Wikipedia, plans to buy the team sprung up when the two had met during a dinner party aboard a luxurious power-cruising yacht owned by Charles Bidwill. The sale of the team was announced in 1933 for $50,000.
The early years of his takeover of the NFL team were marred by many events; there wasn't enough activity across NFL franchises.
However, in 1947, the Arizona Cardinals went on to win the NFL championship, thus creating the record of an undisputed season.
Violet Bidwill Wolfner (1947–1962)
Violet Bidwill Wolfner became the fourth owner of the Arizona Cardinals. She inherited the team from her husband following his passing. She led the team for up to 14 years.
Charles Bidwill Jr. and Bill Bidwill (1962–1972)
Charles Bidwill Jr. and his younger brother Bill Bidwill were the co-owners of the Chicago and St. Louis Cardinals franchise from 1962 to 1972.
The two siblings inherited the franchise following the relocation of the team to St. Louis, Missouri, their mother Violet Bidwill. Alongside the NFL franchise, the two siblings also inherited the Sportsman’s Park.
Bill Bidwill, however, ran the club for many years with the co-ownership of his brother. Charles, however, sold his shares to his brother in a deal worth $6,500,000 in 1972.
Bill Bidwill (1972–2019)
After acquiring the other shares of the team, Bill Bidwill became the exclusive owner of the Arizona Cardinals beginning in 1972.
Following the takeover, he moved the franchise to Arizona. After years of running the club with mixed results, it became a lucrative team from 2008.
The team went on to win the NFC Conference championship for the first time since 1975. The team had won their divisional title during their time in St. Louis. The Arizona Cardinals reached the Super Bowl XLIII in 2008 but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team won the NFC West division three times in 2008, 2009, and 2015 under the ownership of Bill Bidwill.
Arizona Cardinals NFL championships
Throughout its history, the Arizona Cardinals have won two NFL championships in the early years of the league's formation during the AFL–NFL merger. The team's first title was in 1925, and the second was twenty-two years later in 1947.
Stadium
The Arizona Cardinals currently play their home games at the State Farm Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 63,400 and can be expanded.