On the 554th Sporticast episode, Kurt Badenhausen and Jacob Feldman fill in for Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams to discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Arsenal‘s first Premier League championship in 22 years.
The north London club is owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns one of the most successful collections of sports teams this decade, including recent NFL champion Los Angeles Rams, NBA title-winners Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, who are currently chasing this year’s Stanley Cup. Combined, Kroenke’s holdings are worth $23 billion.
Kurt discussed how the multi-sport model has benefited each of the teams. The two also weigh in on the evolving reputation of American ownership in English soccer, as certain investors have won fan loyalty through years of financial support, while on-field struggles continue to hurt others’ standing.
On the other side of the table, two of the world’s most valuable clubs, Tottenham (10th) and West Ham United (26th), are facing relegation heading into the season’s final week. Going down a level would significantly impact either team’s value, though, as Kurt points out, the economics of the EPL mean that fighting to remain in the Premier League is costly on its own.
