Kansas City Chiefs matriarch Norma Hunt, the widow of former owner and founder Lamar Hunt, died at 85.
While she never revealed her exact net worth, she belonged to one of the richest families in America, with a combined net worth of an estimated $20.5 billion, up from $15.3 billion just three years ago.
The Hunt family owns stakes in MLS, NBA, NFL, and oil and gas companies around the world.
Their wealth can be traced back more than a century back to H.L. Hunt, who struck oil in the 1930 East Texas Oil Boom.
He used his poker winnings to purchase untapped land, laying the foundation for his fortune.
After his death in 1974, his 15 children inherited his wealth. Two of his half-brothers, W. Herbert and Nelson Bunker Hunt, made headlines when they attempted to corner the silver market.
H.L. Hunt is believed to have inspired the iconic J.R. Ewing character on the TV show “Dallas.”
Interestingly, in 1982, Forbes published the inaugural Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, and 11 members of the Hunt family were included.
Norma Hunt Net Worth
Norma Hunt, the matriarch of the Hunt family, had a net worth of billions before her death.
The Hunts are valued at approximately $20.5 billion in total. They possess stakes in various sports teams of different leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, and MLS.
Additionally, they have investments in global oil and gas companies, as well as a substantial underground business park.
Founding the NFL team, Kansas City Chiefs, is likely one of the most lucrative investments the Hunts have made.
According to Forbes, the Chiefs were valued at $3.7 billion in 2022, ranking 23rd among all sports franchises.
This valuation represents a significant increase from $2.9 billion in 2021 and $2.5 billion in 2020.
In terms of returns, this translates to an extraordinary lifetime return of approximately 14,799,900%.
It All Started With $25,000
After the failed attempt by Lamar Hunt to set up a new franchise to be part of the National Football League, he started AFL in 1959.
It started off with eight teams across two divisions. In the East, the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans), the New York Titans (now the Jets), the Boston Patriots (now New England), and the Buffalo Bills.
Similarly, in the west, there were Hunt’s Texans (which are now the Chiefs), the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas), and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Hunt paid only $25,000, which would have been worth approx. $314,000 in today’s money, with inflation, to start his new team.
The Hunt family has come a long way, starting a team with an initial investment of $25,000, its current value has soared to $3.7 billion.
How Did Norma Hunt Die?
Norma Hunt, the widow of Lamar Hunt, died on 4 June 2023 at the age of 85.
As the only woman to have attended every Super Bowl, she leaves behind an extraordinary legacy and an indelible mark on the world of football.
The Hunt family, who owns the Kansas City Chiefs franchise, shared the sad news of Norma’s passing in a heartfelt statement released by the team on Sunday evening.
While the cause of her death was not disclosed, her impact and contributions to the Chiefs and the NFL will be forever remembered and celebrated.
Kids & Husband
Norma and Lamar Hunt married in 1964.
Lamar and Norma had two children together, namely Clark and Daniel Hunt. Clark was born on February 19, 1965, in Dallas, Texas.
Clark, aged 58, holds the positions of chairman, CEO, and part-owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Not much information is available about Daniel, the other son of the pair.
Moreover, Lamar had a total of four children, including two from his previous marriage.
One of his sons, Lamar Hunt Jr., is a businessman who currently owns the Kansas City Mavericks hockey team, which competes in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League).