5 local billionaires who could purchase the Cardinals if the team were for sale

In 1995, Bill DeWitt III and Stephen Brauer bought the St. Louis Cardinals franchise from Anheuser-Busch for just $150 million. The franchise has ballooned to be valued at $2.55 billion according to Forbes. Forbes estimates that the Cardinals' revenue each year is $372 million. It's safe to say that the DeWitt family has seen quite the return on their investment.

Let me preface the rest of this piece by saying that there are no reports or rumors that the family intends to sell the franchise. In fact, Bill DeWitt Jr. said himself that there aren't even plans for him to supplant his father in full ownership of the team. It appears as though the DeWitt family will continue their ownership of the team for the foreseeable future. The Cardinals are a global brand, and they consistently rank near the top of North American sports teams in valuation. The DeWitts are sitting on a gold mine, and they know it.

My inspiration for this piece started when I began reflecting on which level of the organization to blame most for the team's recent malaise: the players, coaches, front office, or ownership group. At the end of the day, the players are the ones responsible for performing at the level they're expected to reach. The coaches are there to lead, prepare, and direct the team. The front office handles player acquisition, development, and utilization. At the top, the owners are responsible for providing the means to contend, and contention hasn't been in the cards for a few years now.

The DeWitt family has turned the area surrounding Busch Stadium into quite the revenue generator with Ballpark Village and the surrounding condos and apartment complexes. Additionally, the Cardinals have consistently ranked near the top of attendance charts each year. Revenue isn't an issue for the team, even with the uncertainty surrounding Diamond Sports Group and Bally Sports.

If the family does decide to sell the team in the near future -- again, something that is highly unlikely -- then there are bound to be plenty of suitors to swoop in and own a franchise as prominent and lucrative as the St. Louis Cardinals. These potential owners must have net worths great enough to pay the hefty price tag of the franchise, and that severely limits the amount of possibilities.

Also, Cardinal fans would most prefer a local owner, someone who is a fan of the team in addition to an owner. Bill DeWitt Jr. and his son are huge fans of the team themselves, so hopefully, that trend continues. Therefore, we are limiting our scope even more when looking at potential owners or ownership groups.

These 5 local billionaires could purchase the St. Louis Cardinals and reestablish the franchise.