Philip Anschutz in talks to buy Spurs? (Mirror & Express)

[L.A. Yiddo]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...schutz-according-to-report-article866417.html

Tottenham are close to being sold in a £450million takeover, according to a report.

The story says Philip Anschutz, owner of American entertainment giants AEG and the 34th richest man in the USA with a £4.4 billion fortune, has been in talks with Spurs' current majority owner, Joe Lewis, for weeks.

A deal is not far away, continues the report, which claims Anschutz - who already owns David Beckham's Major League soccer side LA Galaxy - would keep current Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in place to run the club.

AEG owns London's O2 Arena and the MEN Arena in Manchester.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/302685

AMERICAN entertainment giants AEG are moving closer to a £450 million takeover Tottenham.

AEG owner Philip Anschutz, the 34th richest man in the USA with a personal wealth of more than £4.4 billion, has been in talks with Spurs’ Bahamas-based owner Joe Lewis for weeks.

The pair are close to concluding a deal and Anschutz wants to keep current chairman Daniel Levy in place at White Hart Lane as his man on the ground at the north London club.

The agreement would inject new funds into Tottenham’s coffers and make it harder still for bitter rivals Arsenal to compete for the Champions League places, with Chelsea and the Manchester clubs blocking their path. Spurs formed close links with the AEG group last year as they put together a bid to buy the Olympic Stadium as a new home.
But now Anschutz, a close friend of Lewis, is interested in buying the club itself.

Spurs delisted from the Stock Exchange in January in a move Levy declared at the time was necessary to secure funding. And last September they were granted planning permission for a new 56,000-seat ground at Northumberland Park.

Lewis, 75, who owns about 30 per cent of Spurs through his company ENIC, of which Levy is also chairman, has been keen to loosen his ties with the club for some time and at last it looks as if the right buyer may have come along.
The reclusive Anschutz has a close interest in football, having been a major investor in the early days of Major League Soccer in the USA. Through his Anschutz Entertainment Group he, at one point, owned the Colorado Rapids, Chicago Fire and the San Jose Earthquakes.

Anschutz currently owns LA Galaxy and played a key role in taking David Beckham to the club in 2007, as well as a majority stake in Houston Dynamo, plus several basketball and ice hockey clubs.
AEG still own the O2 Arena in London and Manchester’s MEN Arena, as well as other major sporting venues.

:think::think::think::think::think:

 

[bloodzeed]

was only a matter of time

 

[Chapel Hill Hotspur]

would be crazzzzy

 

[Kendall]

Didn't Rabbi Crackers call this a month ago?

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Good news or bad?

 

[L.A. Yiddo]

Good news or bad?

Not the greatest news for me, American owners don't exactly have the greatest track record.... I hope it's BS to be honest.

 

[Hitch]

Didn't Rabbi Crackers call this a month ago?

yep

 

[fortworthspur]

Id rather Sheik Anshautz be the buyer, with a fortune of 44 billion dollars.

 

[kcmei]

44 billion?

 

[LSUY]

Good news or bad?

It could be brilliant news for us, after all Anschutz is a lot richer than Lewis. According to the report he wants to keep Levy in charge and I don't think Levy would stick around if Anschutz wanted to run the club in a similar fashion to the Glazers, Roman, etc.

 

[Kendall]

True. I would hate to win 3 titles in a row plus a Champions League ;-)

 

[L.A. Yiddo]

44 billion?

$4.4 Billion. Small fry :razz:

 

[HappySpur]

Not the greatest news for me, American owners don't exactly have the greatest track record.... I hope it's BS to be honest.

It's easy to be torn by this.

On one hand, he literally propped up the MLS and made it viable, including bringing Beckham over to enhance the image. So he is committed to the game. When I am not so tired I will list just how important he has been in turning football from a frowned upon sport, into what is possibly the 3rd biggest sport in the US (yes, it is bigger than you think over here)

One the other, he is known as seeing franchises (and that's the scary word here) as a way to fill venues. The sport is secondary in his business plan. And I think he has no issues throwing his weight around, and that might be something to worry about.

I could see him as one to want individual TV rights for each club, but that is just a gut feeling.

 

[OmarsComing]

would be amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

greatest days of our lives

 

[Spurs-USA]

If there was an American owner to accept, he would be the one.

As HappySpur noted, the football might not be the only important part to him, but he will certainly provide the funds (unlike Lerner), and his experience with MLS means he has at least some experience in the sport (unlike John Henry or the Glazers). He is, however, very interested in having a nice 60k seat stadium in London to host various concerts and other events (any Amir Khan fans?).

AEG owns a huge number of facilities around the world, and continues to expand that area of the business. They'll have two in Brazil for 2014, and are building one each in Turkey and Russia for their respective tournaments.

The fact that Levy stays on is the most important part of this. I would imagine that AEG, which was willing to spend enough to bring Beckham to a ground called the 'Home Depot Center' in 2007, would be willing to spend a bit more money than the current setup. Imagine what Levy could do with loosened purse-strings Eek

If we are going to sell to foreign owners, I think this is the best we can realistically hope for - unless people are holding out to be the next City/Chelsea.

 

[spursandbarca]

he built them a brand new football only stadium.

built a tennis center as well.


if levy stays around cant see how it is a bad thing at all

 

[danielneeds]

I can't see the point of ENIC selling before the stadium is built, the value of the club will soar with it.

Unless Levy thinks AEG are the only way to secure the funding for the project without leaving us with crippling debts.

 

[bubble07]

Well 450m seems a fair price for what the. Club is worth. But is $4.4b rich enough?!!

Another reason why Redknapp wants to stick around and a reason why Levy hasnt offered him a new deal as he wants Mourinho

Think if this is ever going to happen needs to be now

 

[Mullers]

It's easy to be torn by this.

On one hand, he literally propped up the MLS and made it viable, including bringing Beckham over to enhance the image. So he is committed to the game. When I am not so tired I will list just how important he has been in turning football from a frowned upon sport, into what is possibly the 3rd biggest sport in the US (yes, it is bigger than you think over here)

Where did you get that info from?

 

[Gbspurs]

I think the key word is the bit you didn't put in bold "possibly", suggesting its an opinion.