My neighbor buys stake in Arsenal soccer club

Okay, he's not really my neighbor, but I know exactly where his home is here in mid Missouri. He also owns the St. Louis Rams, of which I'm a huge fan.

Imagine, one of the biggest Gooners in the world right here in the same area as me. Small world isn't it?

Here's the news story:

sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-arsena...rov=ap&type=lgns

I wonder if he can get me tickets...

Can he buy us a goal or two? They don't have to be spectacular... anything will do right now...

Can he buy us a goal or two? They don't have to be spectacular... anything will do right now...

No. He can't buy a goal for you. But there is one thing for sure, he is totally committed to winning. I mean, everything he touches turns to gold.

Right after he became a 49% owner of the Rams, they won the Super Bowl. The Colorado Avalanche of the NHL have won multiple Stanley Cups after he brought them. The guy will do and buy anything he can to win.

I wouldn't be surprised if he owns Arsenal outright in 5-10 years.

No. He can't buy a goal for you.

Then, frankly, he can f*** off.

I wouldn't be surprised if he owns Arsenal outright in 5-10 years.

He bought 10% that was owned by a (desperate) TV company. The rest is in private hands, so who knows what deals will be done. (Hopefully, none)

No. He can't buy a goal for you.

Then, frankly, he can f*** off.

I wouldn't be surprised if he owns Arsenal outright in 5-10 years.

He bought 10% that was owned by a (desperate) TV company. The rest is in private hands, so who knows what deals will be done. (Hopefully, none)

You would not believe the amount of money this guy has. He made his vast fortune in real estate. In fact, he owns most of the land that Wal-Mart's in the US sit on. Thus, he gets a ton of rent from them evry month.

All I'm saying is, don't be surprised if Kroenke offers a ton of money that the current owners just can't refuse.

It's the US invasion of "football" teams. Aren't Man U. and one other team (I can't remember which one right now) owned by Americans? When money speaks, everyone, including owners of football clubs, listen.

JD, I can't deny that money talks (although with 2 dollars to the pound right now, US money doesn't talk very loud in these parts at the moment...)

Personally, I'd hate to see that man take over at any time now or in the future. I don't think it will happen, but I'm not stupid enough to pretend that it couldn't. I just hope it doesn't.

But don't forget, the cases you mentioned are all very different:

Man Utd were a PLC with shares listed on the stock exchange for free public trading. They did that to raise money, and got what they deserved for it - someone they didn't know buying enough of the shares to take the club into private ownership and saddle it with astronomical debts. OK, so they're doing alright this year, but hopefully it'll all fall apart soon enough.

Liverpool, the club you couldn't remember, have spent years actively looking for outside investment. At one stage last year they were in advanced talks with a particularly unsavoury foreign politician. They seem to have found a much more acceptible solution now, but it was the Liverpool board who invited him in.

The situation is very different at Arsenal: football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2059461,00.html

Incidentally, these clubs which grew out of their communities at the end of the nineteenth century are not franchises like you have in the US. There's promotion and relegation and clubs can't be moved to other towns...

Wait and see what happens when the greedy Heirs get there hands on the shares!

By the way, it is a lot easier to catch Beckham on ESPN these days for some strange reason. And don't forget to vote for your next Senadora
on Republica Devertitos. They are down to three finalists and she will be named this week!

www.univision.com/content/channel.jhtml?chid=4&schid=9281

I like Cori. She is the one in the yellow between the two gals in the red. Click on the picture for a nice slideshow.

But hey, don't worry about me. I just watch this show to get the weekly futbol europa highlights!

Can't spell in Spanish either. Let's try Republica Deportiva

Well, I know you English guys are hating this, but my neighbor has upped his stake in the Gunners. Here's the story:

www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5595554,00.html

Well, I know you English guys are hating this, but my neighbor has upped his stake in the Gunners. Here's the story:

www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5595554,00.html

Arsenal's owners won't sell to this guy- at the end of the day, it's not a family run business they have, but it's very close to it where they look after the club and themselves as a partnership. No yank will get ownership of Arsenal.

Arsenal's owners won't sell to this guy- at the end of the day, it's not a family run business they have, but it's very close to it where they look after the club and themselves as a partnership. No yank will get ownership of Arsenal.

I don't care either way, but I will still say that every man has his price and I have no doubt that if Mr. Kroenke really desired to take Arsenal over, he has the means (i.e. cash) to make an offer that the current owners could not refuse.

He bought 10% that was owned by a (desperate) TV company. The rest is in private hands, so who knows what deals will be done. (Hopefully, none)

See above. Apparently some owner besides the "desperate TV company" had a price that Stan met. Otherwise, how did he increase his stake?[/b]

For years since the 1920s, two English families of substance owned Arsenal, the Hill-Woods and the Bracewell Smiths. Three generations on, they continue to have a big presence at the club. But they no longer control a majority of the shares in what they have built into the world's third most valuable club. A Russian and an American billionaire now hold significant stakes, and the old guard has set up a no-share-sales lock-out agreement to safeguard what they still hold. Collectively, the directors own 45.45% of the 62,219 Arsenal shares issued.

As I've said these people are custodians of the club. By all means, others can share in the success, but they won't sell to a russian or a yank.


I don't care either way, but I will still say that every man has his price and I have no doubt that if Mr. Kroenke really desired to take Arsenal over, he has the means (i.e. cash) to make an offer that the current owners could not refuse.

He bought 10% that was owned by a (desperate) TV company. The rest is in private hands, so who knows what deals will be done. (Hopefully, none)

See above. Apparently some owner besides the "desperate TV company" had a price that Stan met. Otherwise, how did he increase his stake?[/b][/quote]

Told you. Everyone has their price. It took even less time than my 5-10 year prediction above:

Arsenal ownership