The Oklahoma City Thunder is a publicly-traded/private? Actually, it is a privately held professional basketball franchise in the sport of basketball (NBA) headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. It competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference, Northwest Division.
The franchise traces its roots to the former Seattle SuperSonics, established in 1967. In 2006, the team was purchased and plans made for relocation; it moved to Oklahoma City and began play as the “Thunder” in the 2008–09 season.
The team is owned by the investment group Professional Basketball Club LLC (PBC), with its chairman being Clay Bennett.
Ownership Status of the Oklahoma City Thunder
There is no single private owner in the sense of one person owning 100% of the franchise. Instead, the Thunder are owned by a syndicate/ownership group (Professional Basketball Club LLC) comprised of several investors, with Clay Bennett acting as chairman.
Major Shareholders / Ownership Structure
| Shareholder / Entity | Approximate Stake / Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clay Bennett (Chairman of PBC) | One of the principal partners | Bennett led the group that purchased the franchise in 2006. |
| George Kaiser | Significant investor | Joined the ownership group; listed as 19.23% in some sources. |
| Jeffrey Records Jr. | Former investor | Part of the ownership group; specific stake less publicly detailed. |
| William Cameron, Everett Dobson, Robert E. Howard II, Jay Scaramucci | Other investor-partners | Together with Bennett, Kaiser & Records form the core of PBC. |
Note: The remaining shares are held among the other partners of PBC and various minor investors; detailed breakdowns beyond the names above are less publicly disclosed.
About Clay Bennett
Clay Bennett (full name Clayton Ike Bennett) was born on November 14, 1959 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is an American businessman and investor who serves as the chairman of Professional Basketball Club LLC (PBC), the ownership group of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. Bennett is also the chairman/president of Dorchester Capital Corporation, a diversified private investment company based in Oklahoma City. Prior to acquiring the Thunder franchise via PBC, Bennett was involved in minority ownership of the San Antonio Spurs in the 1990s and later led the group that purchased the former Seattle SuperSonics in 2006 for a reported ~US $350 million. Beyond his business ventures, Bennett has been active in civic and educational roles in Oklahoma: he served on the Board of Regents of University of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019 and has been inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
Clay Bennett Net Worth
According to multiple sources, Clay Bennett’s personal estimated net worth is around US $400 million as of 2025. This figure takes into account his investments (via Dorchester Capital), his ownership stake and leadership role in the Thunder, and other business and real-estate interests. While the exact percentage of his stake in the PBC ownership group is not publicly detailed, Bennett is recognized as the controlling figure of that group. Although $400 million is a substantial amount, by NBA‐owner standards Bennett ranks toward the lower end of billionaire league—highlighting that owning an NBA franchise does not automatically make someone among the ultra‐wealthy in that landscape.
Key Shareholder Highlights
- Professional Basketball Club LLC is a private investment vehicle that owns the franchise. The group as a whole acquired the Seattle SuperSonics in July 2006, and then relocated the team to Oklahoma City for the 2008-2009 season.
- Clay Bennett serves as the chairman of PBC and is the club’s representative on the NBA Board of Governors.
- George Kaiser’s entry into the ownership group occurred around 2014 when he purchased an interest in PBC.
- The ownership group emphasises a local base (Oklahoma) and long-term stability rather than “flip-sale” style investing. For example, an article noted that “some of the group paid almost $70 million initially and have not reaped a nickel from the venture.”
Recent Developments in Ownership
While there has been no public indication of a major ownership change (such as a majority stake sale) for the Thunder recently, there are a few notable recent developments worth mentioning:
- The current ownership group remains intact as of May 2025, and the club is continuing under the PBC ownership structure.
- Local reports suggest that the high valuations of NBA franchises may lead some of the owners to consider selling in the future; the article states: “The rising value of NBA franchises makes it quite likely that the Thunder’s partners will want to sell soon.”
- The city of Oklahoma City and the team ownership have committed to keeping the franchise in the city through agreements tied to a new arena project; these arrangements influence future ownership possibilities as well.
Given the above, although no major sale has been confirmed, the environment suggests potential shifts in ownership may occur down the line.
FAQs
1. Who is the current owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder?
There is no single individual who owns 100%. The franchise is owned by a group called Professional Basketball Club LLC, headed by Clay Bennett, with other significant investors including George Kaiser and Jeffrey Records Jr.
2. Is the Thunder publicly traded or privately owned?
The Thunder are privately owned (via PBC) and are not a publicly traded company.
3. Who founded or originally bought the franchise now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The franchise was originally the Seattle SuperSonics (established 1967). The ownership group led by Clay Bennett purchased the SuperSonics in July 2006, and after relocation the team became the Oklahoma City Thunder starting in the 2008-09 season.
4. Has the ownership changed recently?
No major change has been publicly announced. The same ownership group remains in place as of 2025. However, there is commentary that the value of the franchise and future arena commitments may make a sale or restructuring likely sometime in the future.
Oklahoma City Thunder Official Site
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