When businessman Bill Foley finalized his deal to buy Bournemouth in October, the Cherries became the tenth current Premier League club to have at least a minority stake from the United States.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Leeds and Manchester City all have some degree of American funding.
And while the Glazer family is considering takeover bids to sell United, the league still looks like an attractive deal for Americans.
Liverpool owner John Henry said this week US-based Fenway Sports Group would not sell the team, while Foley pointed out how much 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 $1bn cost of doing so.
Bill Foley bought Bournemouth last year and became the newest American owner in the Premier League
His Bournemouth acquisition cost a relatively cheap $185 million.
That amount will seem small compared to what the Glazers, Todd Boehly and Henry paid to get a slice of the Premier League pie – and what the former hope to recoup if United are sold.
The Glazers are reportedly not deviating from a hefty asking price of $7.2 billion where potential buyers are bidding.
Both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani have made bids, with Al Thani’s bid believed to be above the $4.7 billion mark and Ratcliffe’s bid being undercut.
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 a group of American owners, Foley’s purchase nonetheless signaled a growing trend in US involvement.
Following the Cherries’ 4-1 loss to City, here’s a look at each team’s US investment…
Stan Kroenke – valued at $12.9 billion (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 around 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 (then in 2011) at $878 million.
Stan Kroenke seen at an Arsenal game in 2017 – he has been the majority shareholder since 2011
“Arsenal are a fantastic club with a special history and tradition,” he said at the time.
“We intend to build on this rich legacy and take the club to new heights.”
Kroenke, whose net worth is the highest of any American owner at $12.9 billion, also has his hands full with other sports franchises.
His Kroenke Sports & Entertainment also owns the LA Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche.
Wes Edens – valued at $4.3 billion (Aston Villa)
Next we have Wes Eden, who acquired a 55 per cent stake in the club alongside Nassef Sawiris in 2018.
Edens co-founded wealth manager Fortress Investment Group in 1998 and first became a billionaire when Fortress went public in 2007.
According to Forbes, Edens briefly lost its billionaire status in 2009, but made $500 million before taxes in 2017 when Fortress was acquired by SoftBank.
Edens, who is 61, has also been a co-owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks since 2014.
Edens’ net worth is $4.3 billion, according to Forbes.
Nassef Sawiris (right) and Wes Edens took over Aston Villa for a modest sum in 2018
He and Sawiris only reportedly paid $39 million to take over the club while still in the league.
Bill Foley – valued at $1.2bn (Bournemouth)
Foley is new to the Premier League but not that new to the sporting world, having owned expansion ice hockey team Las Vegas Golden Knights since 2016.
The NHL demanded a $500 million expansion fee from Foley, far more than the $185 million spent to buy a club in the world’s biggest soccer league.
The 78-year-old made his living as chairman of Fidelity National Financial, one of the largest insurance companies in the US, and his net worth is $1.2 billion.
Foley was also Chairman of Black Knight, a software and data provider for the mortgage industry.
Michael B. Jordan was part of the ownership group that took over Bournemouth last year
Actor Michael B. Jordan, who is now a minority shareholder in Bournemouth under Foley’s ownership, made his fortune working in Hollywood.
The 36-year-old actor has starred in blockbuster hits like Creed, Black Panther and more.
Todd Boehly – valued at $5.3bn (Chelsea)
Perhaps the most prominent American owner in the Premier League right now, at least for now, is Todd Boehly.
The 49-year-old paid a whopping $3.1 billion to buy Roman Abramovich’s club in May 2022 and has since made a good impression.
Boehly has spent more than $720 million on signings since arriving at the club, including $268 million in the January window alone.
The businessman has a net worth of $5.3 billion and previously built the lending business of Guggenheim Partners before co-founding the Eldridge holding company.
Chelsea are the only team Boehly controls, but not the only one he has hands on.
Todd Boehly has overseen a massive spending spree since taking over at Chelsea last year
He also holds minority interests in the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers.
Josh Harris – valued at $6.2 billion, David Blitzer – $1.3 billion and John Textor – unknown (Crystal Palace)
While Englishman Steve Parish is the Eagles’ chairman, there is significant American investment in the club.
In 2015, American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer became part of the club.
Harris owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, both of which Blitzer has significant interests in.
Blitzer, who acquired his fortune as a private equity investor, also holds stakes in the Cleveland Guardians, as well as Brondby, Augsburg and Real Salt Lake football clubs.
Josh Harris is the majority owner of the NBA’s 76ers and the NHL’s Devils
Palace have also received investment from John Textor, who paid more than $100m for 40 per cent of the club’s ownership, although Parish still retains control of the club.
Textor also became the owner of French giants Lyon last year and also own Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.
Shahid Khan – valued at $12.1bn (Fulham)
Fulham has been owned by American Shahid Khan since 2013 when he bought the club from Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed for over $200m.
Khan, who has a net worth of $12.1 billion according to Forbes, inherited no debt when he bought 100 percent of the London club.
“I want to make it clear that I don’t see myself as the owner of Fulham so much as managing the club on behalf of its fans,” Khan said at the time.
“My priority is to ensure that the club and Craven Cottage each have a viable and sustainable future in the Premier League that fans of current and future generations can be proud of.”
A year before his Fulham purchase, Khan also became the owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
Shahid Khan bought 100 percent of Fulham in a deal worth $200 million in 2013
He bought auto parts company Flex-N-Gate in 1980, and his design for a one-piece truck bumper laid the foundation for his success, according to Forbes.
Today the company has more than 26,000 employees and 69 plants worldwide.
Denise DeBartolo York and family – valued at $5.1bn (Leeds United)
Like Crystal Palace, Leeds are controlled by a non-American (Andrea Radrizzani owns 56 per cent of the club) but also have significant investments from the United States.
As of 2018, 49ers Enterprises has held a 44 percent stake in the club since the iconic San Francisco football franchise did 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 this company.
49ers Enterprises originally invested less than 44 percent in the club, but The Athletic reported in January that the company is seeking full ownership of the team.
Denise DeBartolo York and 49ers Enterprises own 44 percent of Leeds United
The company reportedly played a crucial role in Hoffenheim’s Georginio Rutter’s club-record signing of $33m.
The York family has a net worth of $5.1 billion.
John Henry – valued at $4bn, Tom Werner – $1.6bn (Liverpool)
Liverpool owner John Henry was emphatic in a recent interview with the Boston Sports Journal that the club was not for sale and, despite earlier speculation, his Fenway Sports Group are now looking to continue their stint on Merseyside, which began in 2010.
John Henry has recently dismissed speculation that FSG would put Liverpool up for sale
The group, which is also led by chairman Tom Werner, paid $360 million to buy the club from another American couple, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
And while FSG angered Liverpool fans by backing a plan for a breakaway European Super League, they helped lift the club’s first Premier League title in 30 years.
They have also committed $72 million for the new Anfield Road End at Anfield, 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 among its investors, with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer acquiring a 2% stake in Liverpool in 2011 for just $5.65 million.
LeBron James is seen at a Liverpool game during his time with the Miami Heat
His stake was estimated at up to $42 million last year.
Glazer family – valued at $4.7 billion (Manchester United)
Although the Glazer family could be out the door soon, they opened it up to other American investors in the Premier League when they bought the Red Devils for $942 million in 2005.
Their reign was heavily criticized when they began charging the club with millions in debt, and anger reached a fever pitch when they backed a European Super League in 2021.
Nonetheless, Manchester United’s value is still sky-high with Qatari Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani making bids for the club and the Glazers holding $7.2 billion.
The Glazers ownership group, now led by brothers Joel and Avram following the death of their father Malcolm in 2014, made its money from real estate through First Allied Corporation.
Avram (left) and Joel Glazer consider takeover bids but hold on to a huge sum
According to Forbes, the company now owns more than 6.7 million square feet of “premium mall space” in the United States. The family fortune is $4.7 billion.
While United is now public, the family controls 83 percent of the voting rights and still owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Malcolm bought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for $192 million in 1995, and the team won the Super Bowls in 2003 and 2021.
Egon Durban – valued at $1.5bn (Manchester City)
While Man City is known to be majority-owned by Abu Dhabi United Group, American private equity firm Silver Lake holds an 18 per cent stake in City Football Group – the club’s holding company.
Silver Lake is managed by Egon Durban, who joined the company in 1999 as a founding director.
According to Forbes, he owns an estimated 17 percent of Silver Lake and is worth $1.5 billion.
Egon Durban (right) and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the stands