Jessica Pegula and the Family That Defines Buffalo Sports
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In professional sports, it’s rare for one family to influence so many arenas at once. The Pegula name has become synonymous with Buffalo pride through Terry and Kim Pegula’s ownership of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, as well as their daughter Jessica’s rise to the top tier of women’s tennis. Her growing success is drawing attention from collectors, who now see her cards alongside those of household names from the Bills and Sabres.
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Pegula’s Star Shines at the US Open
Jessica Pegula has carved her own path on the global tennis stage. Currently ranked No. 4 in singles and inside the Top 70 in doubles, she has become a consistent presence in the late rounds of the sport’s biggest events. At the 2025 US Open, she has yet to drop a set, defeating Mayar Sherif (6-0, 6-4), Anna Blinkova (6-1, 6-3), and former champion Victoria Azarenka (6-1, 7-5) to reach the Round of 16. Next, she’ll face Ann Li in a bid to match or surpass her amazing runner-up finish from 2024.
This year has already been a breakthrough for the rising star. Pegula captured three singles titles on three different surfaces—winning in Austin on hard courts, Charleston on clay, and Bad Homburg on grass, where she defeated world No. 1 Iga Świątek.
If Pegula keeps seeing success on the court, her cards will continue to climb in value and collector awareness. For now, you can pick up 2024 Topps Royalty patch autos for $25-$50 and pricier dual autos with frequent double partner Coco Gauff for around $350.
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How the Pegulas Built Their Fortune
The Pegulas’ sports empire began with Terry’s success in energy. A petroleum engineer by training, he founded East Resources in 1983 with just $7,500. The company thrived during the shale gas boom, and multibillion-dollar sales of its assets in 2010 and 2014 gave the family the resources to diversify.
Their biggest—and most public—moves came in sports, with the purchase of the Buffalo Sabres in 2011, followed by buying the Buffalo Bills in 2014. Those acquisitions cemented the Pegulas’ role as stewards of Buffalo’s most beloved franchises.
Bills Pride on the World Stage
The Buffalo Bills are the crown jewel of the Pegula family’s sports ownership. Since purchasing the team in 2014, Terry and Kim Pegula have helped usher in one of the most competitive eras in franchise history. Led by quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills have become perennial playoff contenders and with an almost $6 billion valuation, has quadrupled the Pegula’s original investment.
Re-signing the players and talent GM Brandon Beane has drafted has deepened the team’s profile, turning Buffalo into a must-watch football city once again. Jessica often shows her support with small gestures—like writing “Go Bills” on courtside cameras after big wins—but the team’s identity and success stand on their own.
Sabres Legacy in the Pegula Era
The Pegulas’ ownership of the Buffalo Sabres adds another pillar to their sports empire. Since purchasing the franchise in 2011, they’ve worked to stabilize the team and keep hockey deeply rooted in Western New York. While the Sabres have endured ups and downs on the ice, the franchise continues to boast passionate fans and a pipeline of standout talent.
While goaltending legend Dominik Hašek remains a cornerstone of the team’s collectible history, current stars like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson have energized the roster in recent seasons. For Buffalo, the Sabres remain more than just a hockey team—they’re an essential part of the city’s identity, carrying forward a tradition the Pegulas have pledged to preserve.
From Buffalo to the Big Leagues of Ownership
The Pegulas are part of a small circle of families whose influence spans multiple major leagues. Stan Kroenke’s group owns the Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche, and Arsenal. The Ilitch family runs the Red Wings and Tigers, while the Glazers oversee the Buccaneers and Manchester United. Others, like the Paul G. Allen Trust and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, manage similarly broad portfolios.
In that company, the Pegulas’ stewardship of the Bills and Sabres—alongside Jessica’s rise in tennis—places them in rarefied air, shaping Buffalo’s identity while linking their name to the global stage.
Lucas Mast is a writer based in California’s Bay Area, where he’s a season ticket holder for St. Mary’s basketball and a die-hard Stanford athletics fan. A lifelong collector of sneakers, sports cards, and pop culture, he also advises companies shaping the future of the hobby and sports. He’s driven by a curiosity about why people collect—and what those items reveal about the moments and memories that matter most.
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