While Baseball is always about the players’ skills and dominating on-field performance, the team owners are the force behind everything. How? Well, a team’s success is equally dependent on the owners’ willingness. Because the owners invest their money in setting up a strong team and contend for the ring. Guess where we would have seen stars like Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout if the owners were skeptical of investing? The Chicago White Sox is one such team that reflects a good example of how the owner’s actions can affect a team. While they have been owned by Jerry Reinsdorf since 1981, their success is limited in the field.

Reinsdorf comes from the real estate sector and has had his fair share of success in sports. For the unversed, Reinsdorf’s sports gallery is not only about baseball. What else? He also owns the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. So, who is Reinsdorf, and is he comparable to some of the leading owners in MLB? Let’s dive into the details to know more about him.

Who is Jerry Reinsdorf? All to know about the Chicago White Sox’s owner

The sports scene in Chicago is centered around Jerry Reinsdorf. Why? This guy owns one of the top two biggest sports clubs in the region, the White Sox in MLB and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Seems obvious for someone originating from Chicago, right? But Reinsdorf was originally from Brooklyn, New York. Yes, a Brooklyn resident took over the Chicago sports culture in the eighties. Adding to that, Reinsdorf was part of one of the remarkable events for MLB. Much before coming into the ownership picture of the club, he witnessed the glass ceiling getting broken on the field. It was the day when Jackie Robinson made his Dodgers debut as the first black player in the major league.

It was only in 1957 that Reinsdorf relocated to Chicago after graduating from Washington D.C. He started his professional journey, working as a certified review appraiser for a lawyer. A diversified portfolio indeed. But it was his career as a real estate partnership tax shelter since 1964 that helped him grow a fortune – enough to buy a team in MLB. He bought the White Sox in 1981 for $19 million. And reportedly, Reinsdorf has other ventures too. What about them?

What is Jerry Reinsdorf‘s Net worth? Into his business of investments, which goes across sports

The 1540th richest man in the world is the owner of the White Sox. As per the rankings by the Fortune Millionaire list, his net worth is valued at around $2.3 billion. But compared with the Mets’ owner, Steve Cohen, the difference is huge. Cohen is the richest owner in MLB with a net worth of $21 billion and ranked #9 on the list. Reinsdorf’s first sports venture came by acquiring the White Sox, followed by the Bulls in the eighties. It made a high-value brand and witnessed a meteoric rise. Accoridng to reports, now, he holds 19% of the White Sox’s share.

After the acquisition of the Sox, he set his eyes on the Bulls. In 1985, he bought the team and offered one of the most hyped seasons. How? Well, in the same year, the Bulls landed the biggest star ever coming out of the NBA, Michael Jordan. Back to the present, Reinsdorf owns an estimated 40% of the Bulls, which are now valued at $5 billion after 43 years. His sports investments were not all, as he made his mark in founding the Balcor Company in 1973, earning his first real estate entrepreneurship.

A look at his Chicago White Sox ownership: Know his journey as an MLB team owner

The White Sox’s journey under Jerry Reinsdorf can be termed as moderate. Because his stint with the team for the last 40 years is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. Since getting the ownership from John Allyn in 1981, Reinsdorf saw both the highs and lows. This includes getting the World Series in 2005 and achieving the highest record for defeats (41-121) in the modern era. Moreover, Reinsdorf’s era saw the team reach the postseason scene seven times, but all went in vain except in 2005.

The fans’ agitation can be gauged when their home team records the most losses in a season. Expectedly, the increasing calls for selling the team are haunting Reinsdorf. These calls just got fueled by the yearly downfall of the payroll. For reference, the White Sox now have an approximately $86 million payroll this year; in comparison, they had a $193.4 million payroll in 2022. Reinsdorf’s choice to continue leading the White Sox in the face of criticism and subpar play emphasizes how urgently strategic changes are needed. Time is ticking for the team for a radical change, with the fans now testing their patience. And Reinsdorf surely misses his pillar, his wife Martyl Rifkin, in this challenging time.

Who was his wife? Meet his college sweetheart Martyl Rifkin

Martyl Rifkin started her journey alongside Jerry Reinsdorf in 1956. The power couple first fell in love at George Washington University in Washington D.C. While she was not only an active part in Reinsdorf’s ventures, Martyl helped to shape the history of the two sports teams they owned. Yes, in every moment of life, and in challenging junctures, Reinsdorf got his wife Rifkin on his side and managed the challenges of professional athletics, business, and family life together.

Well, for those unaware, Rifkin was the person behind those unique and extravagant NBA rings the Bulls got. She designed five of the six NBA championship rings that the Bulls won during their successful 1990s. That’s not all, because she also designed the 2005 World Series championship rings for the White Sox. So, a true companion of Reinsdorf. However, Jerry Reinsdorf lost his most valuable jewel in 2021 when Rifkin died due to a prolonged illness. But the legacy continues. Who can forget those rings?

Jerry Reinsdorf’s family: Kids, brothers, and more

Much like his stint with the White Sox, Jerry Reinsdorf also saw both highs and lows in his personal life. Michael, Susan, Jonathan, and David are the four children of Reinsdorfs. But tragedy struck the family when David died in March 2014. As for Michael, he is still acting as the Bulls’ president and COO. Reinsdorf also got his grandson, Joseph Reinsdorf, the 18-year-old graduate, inducted into the team in the 2025 MLB draft.

“We had gotten to the point where our rookie rosters were full, so we decided to take a great kid who we’ve known basically his entire life.” The White Sox General Manager, Rick Hahn, said about Joseph.

So while Jerry’s sons are actively involved in the team’s operation, will the White Sox gain any fortune? While the fans are agitating for an ownership change, a better season this year can put it all to rest.

The White Sox started the season on a positive note. Winning the opening game and going above a .500 winning percentage is something worthy, but things again started looking grim. They are just able to secure one more win till now with 7 losses already on the table. Fans cannot hope that the White Sox will touch last year’s unwarranted record. But tbh, Reinsdorf is a well-experienced guy in the business. He knows what goes best for the team. Hopefully, things will change soon.