Winning in England, Losing in America: Kroenke and the Glazers
Quick, I'm going to name four professional sports franchises for you:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Manchester United F.C.
St. Louis Rams
Arsenal F.C.
Now I ask you, is there a common link other than legendary soccer clubs and dreadful football franchises?
Yes. Each soccer squad shares a common owner with the football team above it. That is either dreadfully frightening for the soccer supporters, or highly uplifting for the football fans. Actually it's probably not so decisive. If it happens to be a common belief that ownership groups create winning climates between their franchises through osmosis, than both emotions could be experienced.
You may ask yourself how it could it be possible that two of the worst football teams in America could have sister-franchises in England that are so dominant and beloved? You may also ask yourself how did I get here? This is not your beautiful gridiron. This is not your beautiful pitch.
Currency fluctuations, stable streams of revenue, the NFL restrictions against owning multiple American franchises, and some dumb luck created a market for American owners expanding overseas. In terms of Stan Kroenke's ownership of Arsenal and the Rams, it's been a recent turn of events. He hasn't held full ownership of either organization for more than a year, so he's probably immune to blame for the Rams putridity, or to praise for the Gunners' historical achievements.
The Glazers' ownership of Manchester United has caused a slight bit more conflict. The Red Devils' supporters have never been happy about the amount of debt used to acquire their beloved club. Protestors wear green and gold scarves, well at least in the years when the team isn't winning a trophy. Because since 2005, when the Glazer's took over, United has won four Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League. They've also played in the Champions League final three of the last four seasons. That is their best run in European competition ever. And they would have gotten away with all three trophies if it weren't for those meddling Catalans.
If that sounds strikingly different than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' predicament, keep in mind where that franchise was before the Glazer's took over. The Bucs had experienced three winning seasons in their nineteen year history. In 1997, three years after the new ownership took the reigns, Tampa Bay became a perennial contender. In 2002-03 the team won its first Super Bowl.
The more recent downturn for the Buccaneers won't help the Glazers win over Manchester United fans. However, it's significantly more difficult to maintain a consistent dominance in the NFL. English soccer, like most of the European leagues, is a hierarchy. And Manchester United, with their nineteen league titles, currently sit at the top of the chain. It would take extreme incompetence to ruin that legacy. Regardless of how much money is splurged on players by Chelsea or Manchester City.
Still, it is remarkable how similar these situations are. Both owners have a football team which looked to be improving, before taking a few steps backward this season. That is generous wording, as the teams went from playoff contenders to high-selectors in the 2012 draft. Additionally, both teams are a few years removed from winning their first Super Bowl. Of course those championships seem to have come in another time, with different coaches, and different players. After this season, the current regimes will be lucky to survive the owner's ax.
Meanwhile the legends of the English game have also gotten blemishes on their recent runs of success. United is the defending Premier League champions, but have fallen out of this season's Champions League. Arsenal are one of the only two English teams left in the top European club competition, but are in the midst of a trophy drought that many fans fear an American owner will not lead them out of. Yet unlike their unstable American counterparts, both soccer clubs are guided by managers who are living legends. They will not be fired, no matter what continent the owner's bank account is in.
Kroenke and the Glazers are not the only American owners in England. They are also not the only owners of struggling football teams stateside. They do share an unenviable task of satisfying two demanding fan bases each fall. Big time soccer clubs are expected to sign world class talent, and every NFL franchise is expected to win... immediately. The Glazers, despite many fans claims otherwise, have showed an ability to win in England. Or, at the very least, an ability to let Sir Alex Ferguson win in England. They have rebuilt a struggling NFL franchise once, and can potentially do it again. Kroenke is the new man in charge for Arsenal and St. Louis. He's been with both organizations for a while, but now it's up to him to prove he can create a winner. For football struggles in St. Louis may be a whimper, but losing soccer in London creates a bang.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Manchester United F.C.
St. Louis Rams
Arsenal F.C.
Now I ask you, is there a common link other than legendary soccer clubs and dreadful football franchises?
Yes. Each soccer squad shares a common owner with the football team above it. That is either dreadfully frightening for the soccer supporters, or highly uplifting for the football fans. Actually it's probably not so decisive. If it happens to be a common belief that ownership groups create winning climates between their franchises through osmosis, than both emotions could be experienced.
You may ask yourself how it could it be possible that two of the worst football teams in America could have sister-franchises in England that are so dominant and beloved? You may also ask yourself how did I get here? This is not your beautiful gridiron. This is not your beautiful pitch.
Currency fluctuations, stable streams of revenue, the NFL restrictions against owning multiple American franchises, and some dumb luck created a market for American owners expanding overseas. In terms of Stan Kroenke's ownership of Arsenal and the Rams, it's been a recent turn of events. He hasn't held full ownership of either organization for more than a year, so he's probably immune to blame for the Rams putridity, or to praise for the Gunners' historical achievements.
The Glazers' ownership of Manchester United has caused a slight bit more conflict. The Red Devils' supporters have never been happy about the amount of debt used to acquire their beloved club. Protestors wear green and gold scarves, well at least in the years when the team isn't winning a trophy. Because since 2005, when the Glazer's took over, United has won four Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League. They've also played in the Champions League final three of the last four seasons. That is their best run in European competition ever. And they would have gotten away with all three trophies if it weren't for those meddling Catalans.
If that sounds strikingly different than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' predicament, keep in mind where that franchise was before the Glazer's took over. The Bucs had experienced three winning seasons in their nineteen year history. In 1997, three years after the new ownership took the reigns, Tampa Bay became a perennial contender. In 2002-03 the team won its first Super Bowl.
The more recent downturn for the Buccaneers won't help the Glazers win over Manchester United fans. However, it's significantly more difficult to maintain a consistent dominance in the NFL. English soccer, like most of the European leagues, is a hierarchy. And Manchester United, with their nineteen league titles, currently sit at the top of the chain. It would take extreme incompetence to ruin that legacy. Regardless of how much money is splurged on players by Chelsea or Manchester City.
Still, it is remarkable how similar these situations are. Both owners have a football team which looked to be improving, before taking a few steps backward this season. That is generous wording, as the teams went from playoff contenders to high-selectors in the 2012 draft. Additionally, both teams are a few years removed from winning their first Super Bowl. Of course those championships seem to have come in another time, with different coaches, and different players. After this season, the current regimes will be lucky to survive the owner's ax.
Meanwhile the legends of the English game have also gotten blemishes on their recent runs of success. United is the defending Premier League champions, but have fallen out of this season's Champions League. Arsenal are one of the only two English teams left in the top European club competition, but are in the midst of a trophy drought that many fans fear an American owner will not lead them out of. Yet unlike their unstable American counterparts, both soccer clubs are guided by managers who are living legends. They will not be fired, no matter what continent the owner's bank account is in.
Kroenke and the Glazers are not the only American owners in England. They are also not the only owners of struggling football teams stateside. They do share an unenviable task of satisfying two demanding fan bases each fall. Big time soccer clubs are expected to sign world class talent, and every NFL franchise is expected to win... immediately. The Glazers, despite many fans claims otherwise, have showed an ability to win in England. Or, at the very least, an ability to let Sir Alex Ferguson win in England. They have rebuilt a struggling NFL franchise once, and can potentially do it again. Kroenke is the new man in charge for Arsenal and St. Louis. He's been with both organizations for a while, but now it's up to him to prove he can create a winner. For football struggles in St. Louis may be a whimper, but losing soccer in London creates a bang.
Posted by W.H. Patton at Thursday, December 29. 2011 
Categories: St. Louis Scene, Diary of a Futbol Junkie, Helmet to Helmet
Categories: St. Louis Scene, Diary of a Futbol Junkie, Helmet to Helmet
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