{"id":149821,"date":"2026-02-07T02:16:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T02:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=149821"},"modified":"2026-02-07T02:16:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T02:16:44","slug":"cardinals-linked-to-billionaire-buyer-with-deep-missouri-ties-the-ultra-wealthy-name-now-in-the-mix-could-deliver-massive-financial-firepower-and-completely-alter-st-louis-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=149821","title":{"rendered":"CARDINALS LINKED TO BILLIONAIRE BUYER WITH DEEP MISSOURI TIES \u2014 The Ultra-Wealthy Name Now in the Mix Could Deliver Massive Financial Firepower and Completely Alter St. Louis\u2019 Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

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IMAGE: Imagn Images<\/div>\n

At the St. Louis Cardinals\u2019 Winter Warm-Up a few weeks back, fans got a rare peek behind the curtain into the long-term future of the franchise\u2019s ownership. Team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., now 84, and team president Bill DeWitt III were asked point-blank about the direction of the Cardinals\u2019 stewardship in the years ahead – and the message was clear: the DeWitt family isn\u2019t going anywhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re baseball people,\u201d DeWitt Jr. said. \u201cOur family has been in baseball a long time, and I think it will continue.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the plan.\u201d He went on to note that his son, Bill DeWitt III, is in a prime position to carry the torch for years to come.<\/p>\n

And with a fourth generation already in the wings, the DeWitts are signaling that the Cardinals will remain a family-run operation for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

That continuity makes a lot of sense when you consider the business side of things. Since the DeWitts bought the team in 1995, franchise valuations across Major League Baseball have skyrocketed.<\/p>\n

The Cardinals currently rank as the 11th most valuable team in the league, according to Forbes – a testament not only to the team\u2019s on-field success and loyal fan base but also to the long-term vision of its ownership. In today\u2019s sports landscape, owning a franchise isn\u2019t just about tradition or civic pride; it\u2019s a serious financial asset.<\/p>\n

And the DeWitts appear more than content to keep that asset in the family.<\/p>\n

\"Cardinals:<\/p>\n

But that hasn\u2019t stopped others from knocking on the door.<\/p>\n

Enter David Hoffmann – billionaire businessman, Missouri native, and someone who\u2019s made no secret of his desire to own the Cardinals. Hoffmann, 73, recently completed his purchase of the NHL\u2019s Pittsburgh Penguins, and he\u2019s already looking ahead to his next move: Major League Baseball. And if he has his way, that move would bring him back home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we plan to do is buy [the Penguins], pay it off, and buy a baseball team,\u201d Hoffmann said at a recent event hosted by the St. Louis Business Journal. \u201cWe\u2019d like that to be the Cardinals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoffmann\u2019s interest in the team isn\u2019t new, and it certainly isn\u2019t casual. He\u2019s been circling the sports ownership world for over a decade.<\/p>\n

Back in 2012, he was a finalist to buy the St. Louis Blues.<\/p>\n

He came up short again in 2021 when the Carolina Hurricanes were sold. But he didn\u2019t walk away empty-handed – instead, he pivoted to the Florida Everblades, a minor-league hockey affiliate of the Blues.<\/p>\n

Now, with the Penguins under his belt, Hoffmann is aiming higher.<\/p>\n

Still, there’s one major obstacle standing in his way: the Cardinals aren\u2019t for sale. Hoffmann admitted as much after the event, saying bluntly, \u201cEverybody tells us no.\u201d<\/p>\n

That hasn\u2019t stopped him from investing heavily in Missouri. Hoffmann\u2019s business empire spans agriculture, aviation, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, media, real estate, and more.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s poured money into ventures across the state – from purchasing a winery in Augusta, Missouri, with aspirations of building a Napa Valley-style wine destination, to buying the Hoffmann-Hillermann Nursery in his hometown of Washington, Missouri. Most recently, he acquired Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the *St.<\/p>\n

Louis Post-Dispatch*, further deepening his ties to the region.<\/p>\n

In short, Hoffmann is all-in on Missouri – and the Cardinals would be the crown jewel of that portfolio. But for now, he\u2019ll have to wait. The DeWitts have made it clear: the team isn\u2019t on the market, and there\u2019s no indication that will change anytime soon.<\/p>\n

Yes, Missouri has its fair share of billionaires who could<\/em> make a run at the team if it ever became available. But so far, Hoffmann is the only one who\u2019s openly said he wants it. And while his persistence is admirable, the Cardinals remain firmly in the hands of a family that\u2019s been at the helm for over 25 years – and appears ready to steer the ship well into the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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