How did Ryan Smith make his money? Utah Jazz owner's ventures and businesses explored

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has entrenched himself in the day-to-day dealings of the organization. While some owners may be content to watch their team from afar, Ryan Smith has been very active in his duties as an owner.

After the retirement of Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, Smith even managed to bring the three-time champ on board as a minority owner.

Given his public presence, many fans have been wondering who Ryan Smith is, and how he made his money.

When Smith was a college student at Bringham Young University Marriott School of Business, he, his father, and his brother founded Qualtrics.

The company specializes in experience management for businesses, with cloud-based services that allow them to measure customer and staff satisfaction. After launching in March of 2017, the company announced its plan to go public.

Just days beforehand, however, they were acquired by a Germany company, SAP for $8 billion. Smith used his share of the $8 billion from the sale to purchase $120 million of stock in the company, which has added to his estimated $2.1 billion net worth.

Several years after the sale of Qualtrics in 2020, it was announced that Ryan Smith would be purchasing the Utah Jazz for $1.66 billion. The move, which included a group of buyers behind Smith, ushered in a new era for the Utah Jazz organization as they look for their first franchise title.

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith's other business dealings

While many NBA owners have their hands in several high-profile businesses, that isn't the case with Ryan Smith. In addition to his Qualtrics stock, Smith's net worth has largely been fueled by his purchase of the Jazz in 2020, which included a number of other assets.

In addition to the Jazz, the sale included Vivint Arena, where the team plays, as well as the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League, and the Salt Lake Bees minor league baseball team. With his ownership of Vivint Arena, Smith has been active in using the asset to help promote the state of Utah.

Since Smith took over as owner, the NBA has hosted the All-Star weekend at the Vivint Arena. In addition, Smith also recently began a partnership with the UFC he hopes will continue after the MMA promotion brought UFC 291 to Utah.

Basketball isn't the only sport Smith seems passionate about. In addition to his ownership of the Jazz, in 2022 he and David Blitzer purchased MLS team Real Salt Lake as well as America First Field, adding to his sports portfolio.