Top 5 sports team purchases; AEG sale could top them all
With the announcement late Tuesday that entertainment giant AEG, owner of the Staples Center and Los Angeles Kings, is up for sale, the deal, if it goes through, could be the largest in sports history.
“This will be a massive deal,” said Marc Ganis of Sportscorp. Ltd., a Chicago sports-consulting firm. “Arguably it’ll be the biggest sport-based transaction in history.”
The $2-billion price tag for the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this year was the largest sports team purchase of all time.
But if the AEG sale goes through, it could dwarf the Dodgers’ sale.
According to Forbes, the next biggest deals are as follows:
No. 2 -- Manchester United
In 2005, American businessman Malcolm Glazer, who also owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, paid $1.47 billion for the soccer team.
No. 3 -- Miami Dolphins
In 2008, American real estate developer Stephen Ross, chief executive of the Real Holdings Companies, a global real estate firm, paid $1.1 billion for 95% of the NFL franchise.
No. 4 -- Jacksonville Jaguars
In 2012, Shahid Kahn, a Pakistani-born American owner of an automobile parts manufacturing firm, purchased the NFL team for $770 million.
No. 5 -- St. Louis Rams
In 2010, sports mogul Stan Kroenke, who owns the Pepsi Center in Denver, paid $750 million for the NFL team, becoming a majority owner.
ALSO:
Owner of Staples Center, Kings up for sale
L.A. officials react to news of AEG being put up for sale
L.A. billionare Patrick Soon-Shiong may be possible AEG bidder
Los Angeles Times staff writer Walter Hamilton contributed to this report.
Follow Ricardo Lopez on Twitter.
