Former Cleveland Browns And Aston Villa Owner Randy Lerner Just Made $38 Million From A Team He No Longer Owns | Celebrity Net Worth 2026

Biography & Early Wealth Journey

Villa ended up selling the team at a loss to Chinese businessman Tony Xia. It seemed like a catastrophic failure, but there was a clause in the sale that just paid off big time.

If Aston Villa got promoted and returned to the Premier League within three years, Lerner would earn $38 million. And Aston Villa just won its league's playoff final – which means a return to the Premier League – in year three.

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Primary Income Streams & Multi-Million Contracts

That means Lerner netted a cool $38 million from a team he doesn't even own anymore.

Lerner may not be done earning, either. If Aston Villa remains in the Premier League next season, Lerner will take home about $12.6 million more.

A more than $50 million payout is probably a pretty good consolation prize for having to give up your team.

Even though Aston Villa has to pay up, the move to Premier League should be a lucrative one. Deloitte's Sports Business Group estimates promotion is worth about $214 million over the first three years. And if the club avoids relegation in year one, they can expect to make about $378 million over five seasons.

Real Estate, Luxury Assets & Personal Investments

Aston Villa will have plenty of fans next year, but one of them just might be cheering a bit louder than the rest. After all, not everyone has more than $12 million riding on the club's success.