Today, it’s easy to look at the Sacramento Kings and think about an organization suffering from adversity. Often, the blame goes to Vivek Ranadive, the owner of the franchise. However, only a few might know about how the charismatic businessman saved the franchise a little over a decade ago. Well, let’s take a look at the vision Ranadive had when going for the Kings.

The Kings were owned by the Maloof Family since 1998. However, because of a financial crisis, they had to sell the team in 2013. A favorable alternative that opened up was relocating to reintroduce the lost Seattle Supersonics. An ownership group stepped up too, led by now Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

But here is where the city and community’s unity came into play. Ranadive was already involved in the NBA business. The businessman had been a minority owner with the Golden State Warriors since 2010. Still, the billionaire decided to forego a stake in what would become one of the most decorated franchises in the modern era. And it was all to keep the city of Sacramento energized.

How much of the Kings does Vivek Ranadive own?

Vivek Ranadive, along with a big group of other minority investors, joined forces to keep the organization in Sacramento. The group took over 65% of the franchise, purchasing the stake for $535 million on March 21, 2013. At the time, it was a record sale for any NBA team in history. Without his effort, the city of Sacramento would’ve lost a frontline sports destination.

“It’s a little bittersweet, obviously because I’m a huge Warriors fan and I have a lot of friends here,” Ranadive told USA Today. “I’m very, very excited to start the new (challenge).” For Vivek, he viewed Sactown as the future. Along with support from the city, he even led the construction of the Golden 1 Center, the home of the Kings since 2016.

Vivek Ranadive’s innovative and inventive approach seeks to engage the community. Then came the arrival of the winning beam, an idea the Kings’ owner wholeheartedly supported, initially conceived by John Rinehart. It was inspired by the LA Angels’ Big ‘A’ Sign. While the franchise went through large periods of struggles initially, the Kings are now placed as one of the dark horses of the NBA.

How does the ownership structure for the Sacramento Kings look today?

Since the purchase in 2013, the ownership logistics have seen some change. Initially, the group of investors included businessmen and community leaders from Sacramento. Mark Friedman, Brad Jenkins, Mark Mastrov, Andy Miller, and Kevin Nagle were the minority investors alongside Ranadive. But in 2021, the board made a vital decision. Vivek Ranadive and Arctos Sports Partners decided to buy out the shares from the minority owners. However, it didn’t come without the businessman recognizing the efforts of each individual.

Ranadive released a statement to thank them for being instrumental in forwarding his vision. “We are tremendously thankful to Mark Friedman, Brad Jenkins, Mark Mastrov, Andy Miller, and Kevin Nagle for their transformational investment in our franchise.”

John Rinehart joined the team as the President in 2017. Additionally, Monte McNair takes care of the shape of the team, serving as the team’s general manager since 2020. He served 13 years as the GM for the Rockets before moving to Sactown. Since Ranadive’s takeover, the Sacramento Kings have seen a rise in their valuation. At the time of his and the group’s purchase, the team was valued at half a billion. Today, the team has become one of the most valuable franchises at $3.7 billion, according to Statista.com.