Penalty shootout: Stan Kroenke v Alisher Usmanov
Is Stan the man?
American tycoon Stan Kroenke has today announced that he has joined the Arsenal board. We put him head-to-head with David Dein-backed Alisher Usmanov to find out who has the best prospects as they vie for control of the club.
The Arsenal fans have warmed to Stan Kroenke, at least relatively speaking. Usmanov is viewed with suspicion and, perhaps even more importantly, a takeover by a Russian billionaire would mean the Gunners would have to surrender the moral high-ground they have taken over Chelsea.
1-0 Kroenke
Alisher Usmanov has more money than Kroenke. It may only be half a billion pounds - small change, we know - but he does have the edge over his American rival in the financial stakes. It just goes to show, there is still money in mining if you are in the right country.
1-1
But Kroenke’s wife, Anne Walton, is one of the heirs to the Wal-Mart supermarket empire. Now, we don’t want to meddle in a married couple’s finances, but considering the Wal-Mart group had revenue of $387.69 billion last year, it is safe to say that even a small cut of the inheritance would boost Kroenke’s spending power.
2-1 Kroenke
There is a big danger that Alisher might be too busy performing the new James Bond theme with Jack White and furthering his music career to take his commitments to Arsenal seriously enough.
2-1 Kroenke
Kroenke is an established sports tycoon. He is - you will not be surprised to read - the head of the Kroenke Sports Enterprise organisation, which means he has the experience of owning NFL’s St Louis Rams, NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche among others. While Liverpool fans will testify that this does not necessarily make for a good football club owner, Aston Villa and Manchester United fans will say that it helps.
3-1 Kroenke
There are few billionaires from the former Soviet Union who do not come without a pretty murky past attached to them. Usmanov is no exception - he has spent time in a labour camp for crimes including bribery, extortion and (according to some sources) rape. He was later pardoned, but it goes to show that not everybody is his friend.
3-1 Kroenke
Kroenke is on the Arsenal board. The American may only have 12.4 per cent of the club’s shares, compared to Usmanov’s 24.2 per cent, but the invitation extended to Kroenke to join the board shows that the other directors remain committed to thwarting any attempted takeover by Usmanov.
Kroenke wins 4-1
Kroenke has the image, the experience, the finance and the stability Arsenal as a club need. If the board decide a sole owner or atleast a majority share holder is the way forwards, you can bet Kroenke will be thier first choice to sell to if Fitzman doesn’t take up the opportunity to buy.
i cant believe kroenke is on the arsenal board. what a joke. hill-wood only recently said he didnt want his kind. now all of a sudden another he does. the board are trying to protect their own financial gain. its time for the arsenal board to go. they are driven by their own greed. the board even have an agreement amongst themselves not to sell shares! talk about putting your own financial interets before the clubs. the board must sell to the highest bidder whether it be usmanov or a middle east buyer. anyone is better than kroenke you has no liquid assets and would put his american sports ventures before arsenals. another disaster awaits arsenal this season. shame. shame on you the arsenal board.
Don’t you think you’re overreacting, Tim? These are turbulent times for football clubs all over (what with Chelski and Citeh receiving cash injections, among others) but what is not clear is how “long term” these interests are, and in what state those clubs will be in once their buyers decide to pursue other interests. (read “other toys”) Kroenke is a sports man, and as he owns 12,5% of the Arsenal shares, I think the board is right to get him on board to try and help us become more commercial worldwide. Hill-Wood has done a bit of a U-turn on Kroenke, but sometimes you need to swallow your pride…
Usmanov is not a person I would want near any club. It’s probably a case of better the devil you know for the Arsenal board, especially as Kroenke seems reasonably on-message.
I can’t understand this at all, was it not Dein who tried to sort this deal 3 years ago ???? Why was it so bad then and not now
As it stands, Kroenke would have better experience in knowing how to market the club brand worldwide. What does Usmanov bring to the table? I think Kroenke can sell a believable long-term vision for the club. In that respect he can even win over Arsene Wenger - that just might make the difference in the shareholder’s eyes.
once the highbury flats are sold the board will put the club up for sale. probaly to a rich arab. kroenke has about the same amount of money as mike ashley, $3bn. thats not enough for arsenal. kroenke is a property developer and is married to a walton. his wife is worth another $3bn. thats a total of $6bn. but most of that is tied up in stock. a rich arab in the region of $15bn would have cash to spend just like abramovich did with chelsea. usmanov is the biggest shareholder in arsenal about 25%, twice the amount kroenke has. before you all give false praises to kroenke. i wonder how many of you would prefer man citys owners to have bought arsenal instead….. its all about money and kroenke doesnt have enough. its a fact usmanov or a rich arab would pump in more money. just look at what the glazers have done to man utd, huge debts. kroenke is on the board to prevent usmanov moving in. it gives the arsenal board extra protection. once the board decide to sell it will be an ugly take over and the arsenal board will play the bidders off of each other to pump up the price. the arsenal board are driven by greed. not even mike ashley did that…
“Arsenal would lose the moral high ground to Chelsea” with Usmanov?? So how high a moral value do you place on the despicable, inhumane Wal:Mart corporation?
Sheesh.
Arsenal PR machine, which looks capable of giving the old Kremlin lessons on media management, has made a huge profit without winning a single trophy. it goes to show you that arsenal is a business for its rich shareholders and not a football club for their fans.
aue you sound really retarded. At least do some background checkups before you comment.
As for the rest, Usmanov is a confirmed Man U fan. Thats enough to turn it in Kroenke’s favour for me. It is a temporary measure by the Gunners board to prevent any more shares from falling into Usmanov’s hands. And Kroenke has not agreed to the lockdown of shares. Regardless of whoever runs the board, Arsenal are in for a tricky future in terms of management. Hopefully it remains with the current members (minus Usmanov)……………