These guys could bail out world of sports

Bill Gates leads Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans ($57 billion), but included on that list, there are those with sports interests who also have a lot of numbers after their names.

Warren Buffett, who is a stakeholder in the triple-A Omaha Royals, is second ($50 billion).

Philip Anschutz, chairman of AEG, ranks No. 36 ($8 billion).

Among others high on the Forbes list with sports interests are Oracle Racing chief Larry Ellison, No. 3 with $27 billion; Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen, No. 12 with $16 billion; and Nike chairman Phil Knight, No. 31 at $10.5 billion.

In case you’re wondering, or if you’d like to be armed with some handy info if you want to appear on his reality show, Donald Trump dropped 17 places to No. 134 with a mere $3 billion.

Trivia time

Where does George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees and YES Network owner, rank on the Forbes list?

Blues, brother

So the St. Louis Blues have come up with a “name-your-own-price” promotion in which fans can do just that and see whether the team accepts the ticket offer, with Ticketmaster covering the balance of the cost.

Just wondering, but because the Blues haven’t had a winning record the last three years, nor made the playoffs, is “you-pay-me-to-come” a better promotion?

Lionized

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, now with CBS, is already being mentioned as a potential candidate for the Detroit Lions at some point “if he could be convinced the Lions aren’t as hopeless as they seem,” said Larry Lage of the Associated Press.

Tiger update

Tiger Woods clearly knows a lot about the relationship between money and golf, with more than $82 million in PGA Tour career earnings, and now he’s even closer to the bank.

Bank of America will announce today it’s becoming the presenting sponsor of Woods’ Chevron World Challenge in December at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.

Woods won’t be playing this year while recovering from knee surgery, but the deal runs through 2009.

Trivia answer

377th with $1.3 billion.

And finally

From New York Jets Coach Eric Mangini, told by reporters that Brett Favre had reiterated Mangini’s position that all comments about Favre’s injuries come from Mangini: “He’s extremely coachable. Good job, Brett.”

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thomas.bonk@latimes.com