Stan Kroenke confessed he was close to being overcome with emotion as he watched Arsenal lift the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years.
‘Silent Stan’ was in attendance with his son and the north London club’s vice-chairman, Josh, at Selhurst Park last week to watch the Gunners’ joyous coronation.
The head of the Kroenke Sports and Entertainment behemoth is no stranger to watching his clubs and franchises collect major sporting honours.
Under his stewardship, Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets have scooped the biggest prizes American sports have to offer but, in a rare interview, the Arsenal owner hinted there was something particularly significant about watching Arsenal end their wait to be crowned English champions once again.
He told the WSJ: ‘It was extremely emotional. I don’t think we can do these things without emotion, without a deep belief.’
While Josh has assumed an increasingly prominent role in the running of Arsenal in recent years, Stan Kroenke has continued to live up to his ‘silent’ moniker.
‘If you’re going to let those things deter you when you think you’re doing what’s right for your organisation and your view of the world, that would never get you very far,’ Kroenke added when asked about his reluctance to communicate with the club’s fans, particularly during the early period of his ownership when the warmth and adulation he is now enjoying was in far shorter supply.
Regardless of the outcome of this afternoon’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal are unlikely to be resting on their laurels this summer.
Indeed, in the aftermath of last weekend’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, Josh Kroenke confirmed the club’s summer transfer strategy has already been established.
He said: Speaking to NBC, he said: ‘The business never stops. Right now there are already other teams who are trying to strengthen and come at us for next season.
‘We need to be aware of that. We’ve already had a few different conversations about different areas where we think we can improve on and off the pitch.
‘I am looking forward to getting that going this summer but it’s going to be an interesting one because of the World Cup but fortunately everyone is coming to the United States so I don’t have to travel.’
Ambitious plans won’t be limited to matters on the pitch, meanwhile, with Arsenal exploring the possibility of expanding and upgrading the Emirates Stadium 20 years on from its opening.
‘Rich Garlick is leading those conversations on our end right now,’ Kroenke said.
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‘We have several new members of the board that are plugged into that, that do those operations for us in the States. They’re putting together a plan right now to renovate the Emirates.
‘We’re starting these exercises with some of our advisers but the Emirates has been an amazing stadium for us. I think we took it to a different level this year. I think that’s credit to Mikel [Arteta] and those players.
‘But there’s some character that I want to make sure we’re preserving and bringing back to the ground as well. I think we can do that in a very elegant manner that’s really to the benefit of Arsenal.
‘We do this stuff in the States in our facilities and our teams. We take great pride in it so I think we have a chance to come over and really give the Arsenal supporters an elevated matchday experience from where they are right now.’