When businessman Bill Foley finalized his deal to buy Bournemouth in October, the Cherries became the 10th current Premier League club to have at least minority ownership from the United States.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Leeds and Manchester City all have some level of American funding.
And while the Glazer family are considering takeover bids to sell United, the league still looks set to remain an appealing business for Americans to deal in.
Liverpool owner John Henry said this week that the US-based Fenway Sports Group would not be selling the team, while Foley pointed out just how much of a ‘bargain’ buying a Premier League club was last year.
The Las Vegas mogul told the BBC he was interested in bringing an MLS side to the desert, but balked at the $1billion cost to do so.
Bill Foley bought Bournemouth last year, becoming latest American owner in Premier League
His takeover of Bournemouth was a relatively cheap $185million.
That amount will look small to what the Glazers, Todd Boehly and Henry paid to get a piece of the Premier League pie – and what the former will be hoping to recoup in a potential sale of United.
The Glazers are reportedly not budging from a steep asking price of $7.2bn with potential buyers putting their bids in.
Both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani have put in offers, with Al Thani’s bid believed to be over the $4.7bn mark, and Ratcliffe’s believed to be short of that.
The Glazers have owned Manchester United since 2005, and were the first Americans to own a Premier League club.
But even if England’s top flight loses one set of American owners, Foley’s purchase nonetheless signaled a growing trend of US involvement.
Following the Cherries’ 4-1 loss to City, here’s a look at each team’s US investment…
Stan Kroenke – worth $12.9bn (Arsenal)
Starting in alphabetical order by club, we have Stan Kroenke, who became the majority shareholder of the Gunners in 2011.
The 75-year-old real estate mogul, who owns roughly 60 million square feet of real estate according to Forbes, first bought a 9.9 percent minority stake in 2007.
He eventually amassed about 63 percent of the club and agreed to buy the rest of the shares in a deal that valued the club (back in 2011) at $878m.
Stan Kroenke seen at an Arsenal game in 2017 – he has been majority shareholder since 2011
‘Arsenal is a fantastic club with a special history and tradition,’ he said at the time.
‘We intend to build on this rich heritage and take the club to new success.’
Kroenke, whose $12.9bn net worth is the highest of the American owners, has his hands full with other sports franchises as well.
His Kroenke Sports & Entertainment also owns the LA Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche.
Wes Edens – worth $4.3bn (Aston Villa)
Next up, we have Wes Edens who purchased a 55 percent stake in the club alongside Nassef Sawiris in 2018.
Edens cofounded the asset manager Fortress Investment Group in 1998, and first became a billionaire when Fortress went public in 2007.
According to Forbes, Edens lost his billionaire status briefly in 2009, but earned $500m pretax in 2017 when Fortress was acquired by SoftBank.
Nassef Sawiris (right) and Wes Edens took over Aston Villa in 2018 for a modest amount
Edens, 61, has also co-owned the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks since 2014.
Edens’ net worth is $4.3bn, per Forbes.
He and Sawiris paid just a reported $39m to take over the club while they were still in England’s second tier.
Bill Foley – worth $1.2bn (Bournemouth)
Foley is new to the Premier League but not as new to the sports world, as he’s been the owner of the expansion hockey team Las Vegas Golden Knights since 2016.
The NHL required a $500m expansion fee to be paid by Foley, far more than the $185m it took to purchase a club in the world’s biggest soccer league.
The 78-year-old has made his money as the chairman of Fidelity National Financial, one of the largest insurance companies in the US, and his net worth is $1.2bn.
Michael B. Jordan was part of the ownership group that took over Bournemouth last year
Foley also served as chairman of Black Knight, a software and data provider for the mortgage industry.
Actor Michael B. Jordan, who is now a minority stakeholder in Bournemouth under Foley’s ownership, has made his fortune working in Hollywood.
The 36-year-old actor has played a leading role in blockbuster films like ‘Creed’, ‘Black Panther’ and many more.
Todd Boehly – worth $5.3bn (Chelsea)
Perhaps the most high-profile American owner in the Premier League at present, at least currently, is Todd Boehly.
The 49-year-old paid a whopping $5bn to take over the club from Roman Abramovich in May 2022, and has made quite the impression since.
Boehly has forked out more than $720m in signings since arriving at the club, including $268m in the recent January window alone.
Todd Boehly has overseen a massive spending spree since taking over at Chelsea last year
The businessman has a net worth of $5.3bn, and previously built Guggenheim Partners’ credit business before cofounding the holding company Eldridge.
Chelsea is the only team Boehly controls, but not the only one he has hands in.
He also holds minority stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers and LA Lakers.
Josh Harris – worth $6.2bn, David Blitzer – $1.3bn and John Textor – unknown (Crystal Palace)
While Englishman Steve Parish is the chairman of the Eagles, there is significant American investment in the club.
In 2015, American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer became part of the team.
Harris owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, which Blitzer also has significant stakes in.
Josh Harris is a majority owner of the NBA’s 76ers, as well as the NHL’s Devils
Blitzer, who acquired his wealth as a private equity investor, also holds stakes in the Cleveland Guardians as well as soccer clubs Brondby, Augsburg and Real Salt Lake.
Palace has also received investment from John Textor, who paid more than $100m for 40 percent ownership of the club, though Parish still maintains control of the club.
Textor also became the owner of French giant Lyon last year, and also owns Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.
Shahid Khan – worth $12.1bn (Fulham)
Fulham have been owned by American Shahid Khan since 2013, when he bought the club from Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed in a deal worth over $200million.
Khan, who has a net worth of $12.1billion according to Forbes, inherited no debt as he bought 100 percent of the London club.
‘I want to be clear, I do not view myself so much as the owner of Fulham, but a custodian of the club on behalf of its fans,’ Khan said at the time.
‘My priority is to ensure the club and Craven Cottage each has a viable and sustainable Premier League future that fans of present and future generations can be proud of.’
A year prior to his purchase of Fulham, Khan also became the owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
Shahid Khan bought 100 percent of Fulham in a deal worth $200million in 2013
He bought auto parts company Flex-N-Gate in 1980, with his design for a one-piece truck bumper the basis for his success, according Forbes.
The company now has more than 26,000 employees and 69 plants worldwide.
Denise DeBartolo York and family – worth $5.1bn (Leeds United)
Like Crystal Palace, Leeds are controlled by a non-American (Andrea Radrizzani owns 56 percent of the club), but have significant investment from the United States as well.
Since 2018, 49ers Enterprises has held a 44 percent stake in the club, as the legendary San Francisco football franchise has gotten into business with the Yorkshire club.
Denise DeBartolo York, whose father Edward DeBartolo Jr. previously owned the team, and husband John York are the co-chairs of that company.
49ers Enterprises initially invested in the club at less than 44 percent, but The Athletic reported in January that the company is targeting full ownership of the team.
Denise DeBartolo York and 49ers Enterprises has a 44 percent stake in Leeds United
The company reportedly played a pivotal role in the club-record $33million signing of Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim.
The York family has a net worth of $5.1billion.
John Henry – worth $4bn, Tom Werner – $1.6bn (Liverpool)
Liverpool owner John Henry emphatically stated in a recent interview with the Boston Sports Journal that the club was not for sale, and despite previous speculation, his Fenway Sports Group now look to continue their stay on Merseyside which began in 2010.
John Henry recently quashed speculation that FSG were putting Liverpool up for sale
The group, which is also led by chairman Tom Werner, paid $360million to purchase the club from another American pair, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
And while FSG angered Liverpool supporters by supporting a plan for a breakaway European Super League, they helped deliver the club’s first Premier League title in 30 years.
They’ve also committed $72million towards Anfield’s new Anfield Road End, which will open next season.
FSG also owns the Boston Red Sox and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
And FSG itself counts NBA icon LeBron James as an investor, with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer purchasing a two percent stake in Liverpool for just $5.65million in 2011.
LeBron James is seen attending a Liverpool game during his days with the Miami Heat
His stake was estimated to be worth as much as $42million as of last year.
Glazer family – worth $4.7bn (Manchester United)
Though the Glazer family could soon be out the door, they opened it for other American investors in the Premier League when they bought the Red Devils for $942million in 2005.
Their reign has been highly criticized as they began it by saddling the club with millions in debt, and anger rose to a breaking point as they supported a European Super League in 2021.
Nonetheless, Manchester United’s value is still sky high with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani putting in bids for the club, and the Glazers holding out for $7.2billion.
The Glazers ownership group, now led by brothers Joel and Avram after the death of their father Malcolm in 2014, made their money in real estate through First Allied Corporation.
Avram (left) and Joel Glazer are considering takeover bids but holding out for a huge amount
According to Forbes, the company today owns more than 6.7 million square feet of ‘premium shopping center space’ across the US. The family’s net worth is $4.7billion.
While United are now publicly traded, the family controls 83 percent of the voting power, and has owned the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers for even longer.
Malcolm bought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1995 for $192 million, and the team has won Super Bowls in 2003 and 2021.
Egon Durban – worth $1.5bn (Manchester City)
While Man City are famously majority owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, American private equity firm Silver Lake holds an 18 percent stake in City Football Group – the holding company of the club.
Silver Lake is headed up by Egon Durban, who joined the company in 1999 as a founding principal.
He owns an estimated 17 percent of Silver Lake, per Forbes, and is worth $1.5billion.
Egon Durban (right) and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the stands