New Rockets owner Fertitta says NBA better bet than NFL

Tilman Fertitta was officially introduced as the new owner of the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, a little more than a month after spending an NBA-record $2.2 billion for the franchise.

As NBA team valuations continue to rise into NFL territory, however, Fertitta says he wouldn't have spent the same money on a football team.

"I would have been scared to pay $2.2 billion for an NFL franchise at this point," the billionaire businessman said, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "The NBA is where it's at."

While the NFL remains the undisputed king of the hill in the American pro sports' pecking order, there are legitimate long-term questions about the league and even the sport itself.

Fertitta purchased the Rockets from Les Alexander, who paid $85 million for the team in 1993. That represents a 2,500 percent basic return on investment for Alexander.