Colorado Rapids owner Stan Kroenke visited Arsenal Football Club on Wednesday, touring its facilities and meeting the club’s board for the first time as he sought a deal that would strengthen ties between the two sides. Late last season, Kroenke and the Rapids agreed to a marketing alliance with the London club, but no deal was ever signed. According to the Daily Mail and other sources, the parties are now set to put the agreement in writing.
This development has nothing to do with Kroenke upping his 12.19 percent stake in the club not is it an indication he is aligning himself with the Arsenal board against Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who recently accumulated a 23 percent share in the club — presumably with the intention of taking it over. However, the Mail says the meeting with Arsenal executives “suggests that he is becoming an increasingly welcome figure in the Arsenal boardroom.” The report points out that Kroenke selling his stock to Usmanov “would trigger a mandatory takeover from the Russian.” That said, his intentions with regard to the Arsenal stake remain unclear.
Arsenal may be wary of a hostile takeover, but the club is certainly looking to expand the reach of its brand into the United States. Kroenke and the Rapids partnership could provide one point of entry. The deal allows for the exchange of “marketing and business ideas” between the clubs as well as an annual tournament. It may also involve the exchange of coaching personnel and player development.