Johnny Morris
For those of you who hail from southwest Missouri, Johnny Morris's name is quite familiar to you. Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972. At its induction, the small shop was in the back of his father's liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. Since then, Bass Pro Shops has exploded to be one of the biggest sports and recreation companies in the country.
Morris was born in Springfield, MO in 1948, and he went to Drury University for college. He has spent a lot of his time and money sprucing up southwest Missouri, as he founded the Top of the Rock golf course in Branson along with the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium at the Springfield Bass Pro store.
In addition to owning Bass Pro Shops, which bought out Cabela's in 2017, Morris has branched out to other financial areas. He is the founder of White River Marine Group, and his company is a major sponsor in a variety of areas.
Johnny Morris is a Missourian through and through, and his purchase of the St. Louis Cardinals seems to be the most fitting. He still lives with his wife, Jeanie, in Springfield, so he is a fairly local owner. While Morris has stayed away from investing in local sports teams in Springfield like the Springfield Cardinals, a larger and more profitable venture like the St. Louis Cardinals could interest him.
Morris's company has dabbled in sports sponsorships, primarily in NASCAR. Johnny Morris is one of the oldest individuals on this list; he is currently 76 years old. Morris has the highest financial potential to purchase the global brand that is the St. Louis Cardinals, as his net worth is $9.5 billion.