After the latest desperate spin on the Billionaire Foreign
Investor Wheel of Fortune the dial has stopped on the name of
Philip Anschutz. And the lucky Premier League contestant is
Newcastle United.
Unless you've been living under a stone for the last few decades
- or just don't care about such things - you'll know that Anschutz
is one of the most influential and successful entrepreneurs in US
sports and one of the key architects and patrons of Major League
Soccer.
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Philip Anschutz: Newcastle's saviour?
Through his Anschutz Entertainment Group he owns two MLS teams,
including David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy, an NHL ice hockey
team, a stake in the LA Lakers and a raft of sports and
entertainment venues from the Staples Center in LA to The O2 in
London.
With Keith Harris, chairman of investment bank Seymour Pierce,
heading up Newcastle's search for a buyer to take the Magpies off
Mike Ashley's hands, fans of St James Park club should be heartened
that Anschutz has a long standing appreciation and understanding of
the game.
It was believed that Anschutz was up against Clark Hunt in the
chase of Newcastle, but the owner of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs
and MLS's FC Dallas, has ruled himself out of the running, despite
the increasing strength of the dollar against the pound making UK
opportunities more appealing to Stateside investors.
But before Newcastle fans get too excited, Harris has warned
time is running out for the sale to be completed in time for the
crucial January transfer window - a potential cut-off point which
could make or break a deal.
''If the fans were to put themselves in the shoes of a
prospective owner, during the course of a season you have one shot
at changing the playing personnel and that's the transfer window in
January, so I think there are probably two alternatives," Harris
told the Newcastle Chronicle.
''One, if matters can progress quickly then an owner would want
to be in position to have a look at the squad and discuss it with
the manager before January. If that isn't possible then they would
have a look at what has happened during the course of the transfer
window with a view to reforming the team after January.''