Find out who owns the Los Angeles Chargers NFL franchise team, the owner's net worth, source of wealth, and the ownership history of the team.
The Los Angeles Chargers, based in the Greater Los Angeles area, is one of the Los Angeles-based NFL teams. They are part of the American Football Conference West Division.
The Chargers have enjoyed an impressive rating over the last couple of years with consistent appearances in the NFL playoffs with their recent participation in the 2024 season. The team has continued to receive a significant boost amid funding from its owners.
Who owns the Los Angeles Chargers currently?
Dean Alexander Spanos has been the current owner and chairman of the Los Angeles Chargers since 2018. He inherited the team from his father, Alex Spanos, who originally owned the franchise.
However, according to the NFL official website, Tom Gores purchased a 27% stake in the LA Chargers as it was announced in October 2024. The new development means Dean Alexander Spanos and family now own a 69% stake and not the majority of the team.
The remaining four percent is owned by legacy owners from the team's early days in San Diego.
Breakdown of LA Chargers ownership structure
Dean Alexander Spanos and family (69%)
Tom Gores (27%)
Legacy owners (4%).
Who is Dean Alexander Spanos?
Dean Alexander Spanos is an American businessman. He is the son of Alex Spanos, who was the majority shareholder of the Chargers in 1984.
He was initially in charge of operating the team as CEO in 1994. The complete ownership of the franchise took effect from 2018 following the passing of his father.
Net worth and source of wealth
According to figures from Forbes, the Spanos family has an estimated net worth of $2.4B based on figures obtained in 2018.
LA Chargers
Dean Alexander Spanos's main source of income is from the operations of the LA Chargers. He was named the chief executive officer (CEO) in 1994. Under his leadership, the team won up to five AFC West division titles.
Who is Tom Gores?
Tom Gores is an American businessman and a billionaire who is the founder of the
private equity firm Platinum Equity.
He is also interested in the sports business and is currently one of the richest owners of the top American franchise.
Source of wealth and net worth
According to figures from Wikipedia, Tom Gores has an estimated net worth of $9.1 billion as of July 2024. His wealth comes from the ownership of the equity firm and the ownership of sports franchises.
Platinum Equity
Platinum Equity is a private equity investment firm.
Detroit Pistons
He is the sole owner of the Detroit Pistons following the takeover of the team in a deal worth $325 million.
The Detroit Pistons currently compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
What is the LA Chargers value and net worth?
According to figures from Forbes Magazine, the Los Angeles Chargers are currently worth $5.1B based on data that was calculated in August 2024. The team makes significant revenue through its marketing and stadium. Other sources include branding, which accounts for over 3.9%.
The team has enjoyed a competitive edge in the National Football League franchise over the years, making three appearances in the postseason playoffs from 2018 to 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers ownership history
The LA Chargers have been through a series of ownership changes throughout their existence.
Barron Hilton (1959–1966)
William Barron Hilton was the original founder and owner of the Los Angeles Chargers. He was also part of the foundation of the American Football League and also played a key role in the merger with the National Football League.
Barron Hilton was a business magnate who spent significantly on the sponsorship of the franchise following its establishment.
Barron Hilton's ownership of the Los Angeles Chargers began after he was offered the LA franchise in the American Football League by Lamar Hunt in 1959.
He went on to create the LA Chargers as one of the franchises of the AFL. The team began to play in the AFL in 1960 and had success by winning the AFL West Division titles with up to five titles in the first six years.
The team also won the AFL championship in 1960, three years after it began to play in the franchise. However, he moved the team to San Diego and was eventually named the San Diego Chargers.
He went on to sell the team for a then-record fee of $10 million to Gene Klein in 1966.
Gene Klein (1966–1984)
Eugene Victor Klein was the second owner of the LA Chargers, following his takeover of the team in 1966.
He became the owner of the San Diego Chargers after its previous owner, Barron Hilton, sold the majority interest in a deal worth $10 million.
He began his journey as the new owner, serving as the president and head of operations of the team.
Under his leadership, the team won the three AFC West division titles in 1979–1981 and also made an appearance in the postseason playoffs in 1982. Gene Klein sold the San Diego Chargers to Alex Spanos in 1984.
Alex Spanos (1984–2018)
Alexander Gus Spanos was the third majority owner of the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers.
According to Wikipedia, he purchased over 60% of the San Diego Chargers for Eugene Klein for $48.3 million in 1984.
Alex Spanos went to further increase his stake in the team in the next 10 years with the purchase of shares of other minority co-owners and eventually owned up to 97% of the team.
His son, who is the current majority owner of the team, Dean Alexander Spanos, inherited the team after previously handling the daily operations of the team.
LA Chargers trophies
The Chargers won their national championship title during the AFL era with one title to their name.
The Los Angeles Chargers, however, have over 21 appearances in the NFL playoffs throughout their history. The team has won over 21 divisional titles and one conference title.
LA Chargers Stadium
In the history of the NFL franchise, one of the biggest aspects is stadiums and arenas, and as such, it is treated as important as the franchise itself.
Over the years, the Chargers have played in different stadiums, from the early years in Los Blancos and unto San Diego and back to the city. The Los Angeles Chargers have played their home games at SoFi Stadium since 2020.
It is a sports and entertainment indoor-outdoor stadium with a capacity that would contain over 70,240 spectators, which can also be expanded. It is currently owned by the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Hollywood Park Land Company, LLC.
The SoFi Stadium was built at an estimated construction cost of $5–6 billion.
Los Angeles Chargers history
The LA Chargers were founded in 1959 and began to play in the AFL as a charter member of the team. However, the team relocated to San Diego after just one season in Los Angeles.
Following their relocation in 1961, they became the San Diego Chargers and eventually became part of the newly established NFL following the merger with the AFL.
After several years in San Diego, the team moved back to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017.