Who owns the Las Vegas Aces? The team belongs to Mark Davis, the same owner who runs the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.
Davis purchased the WNBA franchise in 2021 from MGM Resorts International for a reported two million dollars.
Since that purchase, the Aces have captured three WNBA championships and become one of the most successful franchises in the league.
The team plays its home games at Michelob Ultra Arena, just off the Las Vegas Strip.
Running a Super Bowl caliber NFL franchise is already a full time job, so why did Mark Davis also want to own a WNBA team, and what has that ownership actually delivered for Las Vegas fans?
Table of Contents
Who Is Mark Davis, Owner of the Las Vegas Aces
Mark Davis is the son of the late Al Davis, the legendary owner of the Raiders franchise.
He inherited control of the Raiders in 2011 after his father passed away, and he later moved the team from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020.
Davis is known across professional sports as an accessible, plainspoken owner who is often seen at games without a large entourage, easy to spot thanks to his distinctive silver hair.
His net worth, driven largely by the Raiders franchise, is estimated at well over three billion dollars by outlets that track sports team fortunes, including Forbes.
How Mark Davis Bought the Las Vegas Aces From MGM Resorts
Before Davis owned the team, the Aces were controlled by MGM Resorts International, which had relocated the franchise to Las Vegas from San Antonio.
In February 2021, the WNBA Board of Governors approved the sale of the Aces to Davis.
Multiple reports put the purchase price at roughly two million dollars, a figure that looks remarkably small next to the team’s valuation today.
MGM Resorts president George Kliavkoff said at the time that Davis was a longtime champion of women’s basketball and the right person to lead the Aces into a new era.
Las Vegas Aces Ownership Timeline: From Utah Starzz to Las Vegas Champions
The franchise Mark Davis now owns has moved twice and changed its name three times before finally becoming a champion in Las Vegas.
The team enters the WNBA as the Utah Starzz, playing home games in Salt Lake City.
The franchise relocates and becomes the San Antonio Silver Stars.
MGM Resorts International moves the team to Las Vegas and renames it the Aces.
Davis buys the Aces from MGM Resorts for a reported two million dollars.
The Aces win their first WNBA title under Davis, defeating the Connecticut Sun.
Las Vegas repeats as champion, cementing itself as the league’s top team.
The Aces claim another championship, extending their run as a modern WNBA dynasty.
What Is the Las Vegas Aces Franchise Worth in 2026
Forbes valued the Aces at 310 million dollars in the very first WNBA valuation report it published, in 2025.
That places the Aces fourth among the league’s twelve teams, behind the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Seattle Storm, according to reporting from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The franchise reportedly generated about 22 million dollars in revenue in a recent season, and its value has grown by an enormous margin since Davis paid roughly two million dollars for it four years earlier.
| Quick Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Team | Las Vegas Aces |
| Current Owner | Mark Davis |
| Purchase Price | About two million dollars, in 2021 |
| Valuation | 310 million dollars, per Forbes, 2025 |
| Founded | 1997, as the Utah Starzz |
| League | WNBA |
| Arena | Michelob Ultra Arena |
| Championships | 2022, 2023, and 2025 |
Inside Mark Davis Ownership Group and Business Empire
Unlike some WNBA teams that are controlled by large investor groups, the Aces are led directly by Mark Davis as principal owner.
Davis also owns the Raiders, giving him direct control of two professional franchises that share the same Las Vegas market and, in the case of the Aces practice facility, even the same neighborhood.
WNBA Team, Principal Owner
NFL Team, Principal Owner
Home Venue, Lease Partner
Team Superstar, Face of Franchise
Why Mark Davis Bought a WNBA Team Alongside the Raiders
Davis has said publicly that women’s basketball matters to him personally, and that he wanted Las Vegas to have a genuinely competitive women’s team.
He invested 40 million dollars into a practice facility in Henderson, built next to Raiders headquarters, that opened in 2023 as the first facility built solely for a WNBA team.
He also made coach Becky Hammon the first coach in WNBA history to sign a contract worth a million dollars a year, a move widely credited with raising standards across the entire league.
Las Vegas Aces Championships Under Mark Davis
Since Davis took over, the Aces have won the WNBA championship in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Star player A’ja Wilson has been the centerpiece of that run, winning multiple Most Valuable Player awards along the way.
Sportico described the stretch as three titles in four years, a level of sustained success that stands in sharp contrast to the Raiders recent struggles on the field under the very same owner.
Is Mark Davis A Good Owner: Is The Las Vegas Aces Ownership Really Worth It
On the positive side, Davis has spent aggressively on facilities and coaching salaries, funding the league’s first standalone practice facility and its first million dollar coach.
The results on the court back that spending up, with three championships in four seasons and a roster widely regarded as the model franchise in the WNBA.
On the negative side, the WNBA fined and investigated the Aces over sponsorship payments made by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which the league later found to be improper; Davis called the allegations absolutely false and said the team did absolutely nothing wrong.
He also stayed out of much of the recent collective bargaining process, which some observers felt was a missed chance for a wealthy owner to push for faster progress on player pay.
Weighed together, most coverage treats Davis as one of the more effective owners in the WNBA, even with real questions about the sponsorship controversy still lingering.
Michelob Ultra Arena and the Future Las Vegas Aces Home
The Aces currently play at Michelob Ultra Arena, a 12,000 seat venue attached to Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip, according to Wikipedia.
As of 2026, no dedicated new arena has been confirmed specifically for the Aces, though Las Vegas is seeing several new arena proposals tied to broader basketball ambitions in the city, including projects aimed at attracting an NBA franchise.
If any of those projects move forward, it is plausible the Aces could eventually play in a newer venue, but for now Michelob Ultra Arena remains the team’s home.
Are The Las Vegas Aces For Sale In 2026
There is no credible reporting suggesting Mark Davis plans to sell the Las Vegas Aces in 2026.
Davis has spoken repeatedly about his personal commitment to the team, and the franchise’s rapid rise in value gives him every financial reason to keep holding on to it.
Given that the team he bought for about two million dollars is now valued around 310 million dollars, a sale seems unlikely anytime soon, though WNBA valuations could keep climbing and eventually attract outside interest.
For more on how ownership works across major sports leagues, see this look at who owns the NFL and this breakdown of who owns FIFA.
Frequently Asked Questions About Las Vegas Aces Ownership
Who Is The Owner Of The Las Vegas Aces
Mark Davis, who also owns the Las Vegas Raiders, is the current owner of the Las Vegas Aces, having purchased the team in 2021.
Who Is Mark Davis
Mark Davis is the son of former Raiders owner Al Davis, and he took over the NFL franchise in 2011 before later purchasing the Aces as well.
What Is Mark Davis Net Worth
Estimates place Mark Davis net worth well above three billion dollars, driven mainly by the value of the Raiders, with the Aces adding meaningfully to his overall sports portfolio.
Did Mark Davis Also Buy The Las Vegas Raiders
Davis did not buy the Raiders the way he bought the Aces; he inherited control of the Raiders from his father in 2011, then separately purchased the Aces a decade later in 2021.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.