Stan Kroenke: The Billionaire Powering Arsenal Enters Top 10 Richest List

Arsenal’s American chief, Stan Kroenke, has climbed to the 99th spot on the Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $20.7 billion. The billionaire, through his firm Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE), has been involved with Arsenal since May 2007, officially joining the Board of Directors in September 2008.

KSE became the majority shareholder of Arsenal in April 2011, and seven years later, Kroenke secured full ownership of the club. However, Arsenal is just one piece of Kroenke’s extensive sports empire, which includes several U.S.-based championship-winning franchises.

Among Kroenke’s notable sports holdings are the LA Rams, winners of the 2021 NFL Super Bowl, the Colorado Avalanche, who claimed the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup, and the Denver Nuggets, 2023 NBA champions. He also owns the Colorado Mammoth lacrosse team, which won their league title in 2022, along with multiple esports teams in the U.S.

Kroenke has invested heavily in his American franchises, most notably with a $5.95 billion expenditure on SoFi Stadium, the home of the LA Rams. SoFi Stadium is the most expensive NFL venue to date, featuring an impressive 120-yard-long, double-sided 4K HDR video board that boasts 80 million pixels.

Since KSE took full control of Arsenal in 2018, the club has also seen significant investment. Kroenke’s firm hired former player Mikel Arteta as manager and has supported his long-term vision, leading to an FA Cup win and two strong Premier League title campaigns.

While Arsenal fans once criticized the lack of spending during Arsène Wenger’s era, the club has recently made big-money signings, bringing in top talents like Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Ben White. Now, supporters are hopeful that Arsenal will be the next KSE-owned team to achieve major success.

Despite these improvements, some fans are calling for Kroenke to address one of Arsenal’s key challenges—securing a proven striker to lead the line, which they believe has been the missing piece in recent seasons.

Though Stan Kroenke remains the public face of Arsenal’s ownership, his son, Josh Kroenke, serves as club director, overseeing key decisions and maintaining regular communication with manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar.

In comparison, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe ranks behind Kroenke in 115th place on the Billionaires Index, with a net worth of $18.5 billion. Ratcliffe began his investment and leadership overhaul at Old Trafford in early 2024.

Another prominent football figure, former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, currently holds 346th place on the Billionaires Index with a net worth of $8.27 billion.

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