Sometimes our team valuations are pretty darn close.
A year ago we valued English soccer team Arsenal at $2 billion. That's the same valuation the Financial Times is reporting the minority owner is now offering to buy out the majority owner of the team (our next rendition of the world's most valuable soccer teams is slated to be published on Forbes.com June 6).
The FT says that Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov bid $1.3 billion in recent weeks to buy out Stan Kroenke, who controls a 67% of Arsenal. The offer values the entire team at $2 billion.
Billionaire Kroenke owns three U.S. teams: Los Angeles Rams (NFL), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), and Denver Nuggets (NBA). The teams he owns, save Arsenal, have performed well as investments but bad in the standings. Arsenal has score well financially and--at least until recently--on the pitch as well.
Kroenke took control of Arsenal six years ago at a £731 million ($1.12 billion at the April, 2011 exchange rate) valuation.
Arsenal has a long streak of qualifying for the lucrative Champions League but is currently in fifth place in the Premier League with only one game remaining.
TV money is driving the valuation. Two years ago the Premier League inked the richest domestic television deal in soccer. And late last year, the league inked a $700 million TV deal with China.
