Billionaire businessman Stan Kroenke has purchased the Los Angeles Angels baseball team from Arte Moreno for a reported $4 billion, setting an MLB record for a team sale. The acquisition on Tuesday adds the baseball franchise to Kroenke's expansive sports empire, which includes the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, and Arsenal Football Club of the English Premier League.
Kroenke brings a significant track record of success across multiple sports leagues. In his three decades of sports ownership, his teams have secured titles in two Super Bowls, two Stanley Cups, one NBA Finals, and one Premier League season. He will now aim to bring this championship pedigree to the Angels, a franchise that has struggled to make the playoffs since 2014 and has not achieved a winning record since 2015 under Moreno's ownership.
Los Angeles Rams
Kroenke's involvement with the Rams predates their return to Los Angeles. He initially acquired a 30% stake in the franchise in 1995 when the team moved from Anaheim to St. Louis. He became the full owner in 2010. Despite initially being labeled as unpopular in St. Louis due to stadium disputes, Kroenke moved the Rams back to Los Angeles for the 2016 season. After their return, the Rams experienced a resurgence, reaching the Super Bowl in the 2018 season and winning Super Bowl LVI in 2021 on their home field at SoFi Stadium. The team has maintained organizational continuity with key personnel and coaching staff, contributing to their sustained success, and is currently valued by Forbes as the second-most valuable franchise in the NFL.
Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche
Kroenke's first ventures as a principal owner in professional sports began in Colorado in 2000 when he acquired the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, along with their home arena. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in Kroenke's inaugural season of 2000-01. More recently, both the Avalanche and the Nuggets achieved championship success within a 12-month span, with the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 and the Nuggets securing their first NBA championship in 2023. Ownership of these franchises, along with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, was technically transferred to Kroenke's wife, Ann Walton Kroenke, in 2015 to comply with NFL ownership rules. His son, Josh Kroenke, oversees these teams under the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment umbrella.
Arsenal Football Club
Overseas, Kroenke's Arsenal has become the reigning champion of the English Premier League. He initially gained a controlling interest in the North London club in 2011. While Arsenal secured four FA Cups by the end of that decade, they ended a more than 20-year Premier League title drought last season. This same season also saw the club reach the UEFA Champions League final for only the second time in its history. Kroenke's ownership faced controversy in 2021 when Arsenal was among several English clubs that agreed to join the proposed European Super League, leading to fan backlash and withdrawal from the project. Despite the past criticism, Arsenal is now in a strong position, aiming to defend its Premier League title and compete in the Champions League, bolstered by significant offseason investments in its squad.