🔊 Is This The Great Sports Investment Strategy Of All-Time?

Billionaire sports mogul Stan Kroenke has added an MLB team to his already expansive sports portfolio.

Kroenke has acquired a controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels through Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), the Kroenke holding company that also owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, the Colorado Rapids of MLS, and Arsenal FC of the Premier League.

The franchise was sold by former owner Arte Moreno for approximately $4 billion, according to several reports, beating the previous MLB record of $3.9 billion set by the San Diego Padres' new owner earlier this year.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027.

Why This Matters

In the world of vertically integrated businesses, KSE is one of the best examples globally.

But what’s less known and publicized is that the sports holding company is also a major real estate play.

And that’s what matters here more than the sports angle.

Let me explain…

Unbeknownst to many, Kroenke owns approximately 2.7 million acres of ranchland across the US, making him America's largest private landowner.

He built his first fortune by developing shopping centers, many of which were anchored by Walmart stores (he is married to Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke).

Every major sports franchise Kroenke owns comes with more than the team.

It usually includes either land, stadium control, surrounding development rights, long-term commercial infrastructure, or a mix of all of the above.

For example, his SoFi Stadium in Inglewood sits at the center of a billion-dollar mixed-use entertainment district, and he’s planning new development near the Rams’ headquarters and training facility in Woodland Hills, California.

He has expansive real estate projects around Ball Arena in Denver, where the Nuggets play.

Even Arsenal FC in North London has stadium expansion plans in place through its partnership with Dubai-based developer Sobha Realty.

The Angels are just the next piece of the puzzle.

Angel Stadium, which first opened in 1966, is the fourth-oldest ballpark in MLB and has been voted one of the least popular among players and fans.

A few years ago, a deal for former owner Arte Moreno to acquire the stadium and its surrounding 130 acres of surface parking collapsed after a corruption scandal involving the former Anaheim mayor.

Right now, that land is still owned by the city of Anaheim and is prime for development given its proximity to three freeways and a train station.

Political factors are also shifting in Kroenke's favor.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed the "Home Run for Anaheim Act,” legislation that waives the state's affordable housing requirements if the team reverts to its prior name, the Anaheim Angels.

So, a name change could unlock entirely new development opportunities as well.

Forbes initially reported that a $2.5 billion stadium project was already being drawn up, but KSE walked it back, saying they were "not ready to move forward at this time, but might in the future."

Regardless, all signs point to the standard Kroenke playbook: acquire the franchise, develop the district, and reap the long-term benefits from land.

Stan Kroenke doesn’t just collect sports franchises.

He builds ecosystems.

And in Anaheim, the next one is just getting started.

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