Stan Kroenke is on the verge of something very special this summer as he prepares for potential success across his Sports and Entertainment empire. The American has not only managed to turn around things on the field (or court) but also off it, as well.
Whereas over 12 months ago his standing with Arsenal fans was at an all-time low, but some of the decisions made by him and new club co-chair and son, Josh, have helped to transform their image. The Gunners are no longer seen as a stale setting but a bright, vibrant location with a squad on the rise.
Lead by Josh and his ever-increasing impact on business in north London, as well as Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar, Arsenal have emerged as one of modern football's growing forces. Many that have monitored Kroenke's American endeavours may have seen it coming.
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After taking on ownership of NFL side LA Rams and NBA finalists Denver Nuggets, Kroenke is closing in on completing a remarkable trio of achievements. His Rams side were made Super Bowl champions for the second time in their history in 2021, a turnaround that has been attributed to his trust and decisions.
Now, not only have Arsenal come from being Champions League outsiders to serious title challengers, they are on a steep upwards curve that follows a similar path to glory as Kroenke's other sports sides. Take, for example, the NBA first-time hopeful champions, the Nuggets.
They are now tied at 1-1 with Miami Heat in an unlikely final match-up but are competing for their first ever championship win. Having not made it past the Conference semi-finals since 2019, and only once in four years, the rise to finalists has been a remarkable one. The trust placed in coach Michael Malone mirrors that of the feeling with Arteta.
Despite no major changes in disappointing runs since 2015, Malone is now on the verge of history. “That has a ton to do with where we are today,” Malone said of KSE's backing. “I couldn’t be more thankful for working for an ownership group that is not impatient and is not trying to find the next great thing, but is saying, ‘Hey, listen, let’s let this grow and marinate into something special.’”
Arsenal themselves have been allowed to grow naturally and quickly and are getting the rewards for it. The Nuggets, though, are run by Josh Kroenke and his mother is the listed owner of both Nuggets and Colarado Avalanche due to NFL rules that deny the ability to own multiple teams from another pro-sports league in America.
Josh is trying to do what has previously been described as 'impossible' in winning the NBA in Denver. “I thought that you could bring a championship to Denver,” he said recently to Altitude Sports Radio. “Trying to do something that’s never been done before, it’s not always easy, and it’s usually met with a lot of resistance. We’re mostly excited for the city to get to experience this. But the job’s not done.”
The trust in which Kroenke has placed on that franchise should not be overstated either. When the Nuggets were initially put up for sale he was happier to back a $450m offer despite issues that would have stopped them from moving the team. Nowadays there is an estimated $1.93bn worth for the franchise according to Forbes.
Part of this may well be down to the long-held dream he has of being involved in basketball, partially down to Josh's success as a high-level player at university. “One of my dreams was to be involved in a professional basketball team,” Kroenke said after buying the franchise. “This is a dream I’ve had for a long time.”
The faith that he put in long-term projects, such as two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, mirrors the youth influx from London Colney in players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe under Arteta. This is no accident. He is now closer than ever before to sporting immortality and if the Nuggets can achieve NBA success, Arsenal's next Premier League crown is an obvious step to pursue afterwards.
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