Sports mogul McCombs dies at 95
Texas businessman Billy Joe “Red” McCombs died Sunday, his family announced in a statement on Monday. He was 95.
McCombs was an owner of several sports franchises in his lifetime, including the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. He was also an initial investor of the Circuit of the Americas, which now hosts the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, and was a supporter of the University of Texas Longhorns. The organization named its business school after him in 2000 after he and his wife, Charline – who died in 2019– gave a donation of $50 million. At the time, it was the largest single donation in the school’s history.
“The entire McCombs family is heartbroken to announce that our father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Red McCombs passed away Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023,” the statement said.
“Red was a visionary entrepreneur who touched many lives and impacted our community in immeasurable ways. But to us he was always, first and foremost, ‘Dad’ or ‘Poppop.’
“We mourn the loss of a Texas icon.” The Vikings released a statement on McCombs’ passing. He bought the franchise in 1998 for $250 million after trying to bring an NFL team to his San Antonio hometown. He sold the Vikings to Zygmunt Wilf and a group of investors in 2005 for $600 million.
“Red embodied his famous ‘Purple Pride’ phrase and remained a staunch Vikings fan after passing the torch to the Wilf family in 2005,” the statement said. “While Red had a clear passion for sports, it was evident what he loved the most were his children and grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with the McCombs family during this difficult time.”
McCombs was the owner of the Spurs twice and was influential in moving the team from Dallas to San Antonio, where it played its first ABA season in 1973.
In between stints with the Spurs, McCombs owned the Nuggets for three seasons.
McCombs made his fortune through numerous businesses including car dealerships, real estate ventures, an energy company and as a founder of the communications company that became iHeartCommunications.
McCombs is survived by daughters Lynda McCombs, Marsha Shields and Connie McNab and eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.