The Denver Post points out that each of these men believe the road to success in American soccer passes through Europe. Philip Anschutz, of course, is the man with enough millions to lure the European uber-celebrity David Beckham over from Real Madrid. Stan Kroenke last week orchestrated the sports marketing and management collaboration between Arsenal of the EPL and his Colorado Rapids. Finally George Gillett, along with Texan Tom Hicks, are investing $850.8 million in their new EPL club, including $421 million to fund the building of a 60,000-capacity stadium.
While Gillett is new to soccer (and not really fans themselves), fellow Colorado residents Anschutz and Kroenke are long-time investors in the sport. As Dean Bonham, chief executive of the Denver-based sports consulting firm The Bonham Group says, “People with vision and with money who are extremely successful understand that soccer is going to become a major part of the American sports landscape within the next 10 years.”
Some say the investment in the sport is exactly what was needed to grow its popularity here. But that, the Post says, begs the question: “Is it soccer’s potential in the U.S. that is attracting the attention of savvy investors, or is it the involvement of big dollars that will make soccer popular?”