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Inside Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke’s $150m superyacht which boasts 37ft waterfall chandelier, salon and theatre

• G.P. Rodriguez
• Published : 21:11, 2 May 2022
• Updated : 14:06, 3 May 2022

WHEN it comes to luxury yachts, Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke need not envy other billionaires.

Walton Kroenke's $150m superyacht has everything a billionaire - or anyone - would need to enjoy themselves out at sea, including a 37-feet waterfall chandelier, a salon and a theatre.

The 73-year-old heiress and her husband, Los Angeles Ram's owner Stan Kroenke, bought the floating mansion a couple of years ago and renamed it Aquila, according to Boat International .

After an extensive remodeling at the Pendennis British shipyard, the yacht won the 2017 World Superyacht Award.

The Aquila, reportedly the largest yacht built in the US since the 1930s, now boasts a bar named "the London Bar" and two massage rooms.

It also features seven cabins, as well as a gym and a large jacuzzi.

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The ship , which has been compared to an “exclusive members’ club,” has a deck that is for parties only. It includes smoke machines, a light show and a DJ booth.

Guests of the billionaire couple can also enjoy a new movie theater with an 85-inch screen.

And for the owners, there is a dedicated deck that features access to a private massage room, hair salon, office, and an opulent suite.

The yacht's centerpiece, however, is the 37-foot waterfall chandelier that illuminates all of the ship's four decks.

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And Aquila is open for charters - to those who can afford its listing price of nearly $1million for one week.

The listing states: "Alongside her impressive deck spaces and stunning interior, AQUILA has a large beach club offering a plethora of fun water toys, ideal for lazy days out at anchor.

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"Her zero speed stabilizers ensure comfort while static and the yacht's 28 crew offer an unrivaled personal service."

Walton Kroenke is worth a whopping $9billion, and her husband is worth about $10.5billion.

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Email us at  [email protected]  or call  212 416 4552 .

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The NFL’s Favorite Boats

• By Yachting Staff
• September 12, 2023

Plenty has been written about retired (really, this time) NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s passion for boating. He reportedly owned a Wajer 55S before upgrading to a Wajer 77 , a sweet reward after earning what’s estimated to be a net worth of at least $300 million.

But when it comes to the really big boats—the megayachts, superyachts and gigayachts—it’s the NFL team owners who have the goods. Sure, there’s an occasional story in the news about an NFL player spending a day on the water, but the people making a real splash on the docks are the ones who own the teams.

Article At-A-Glance

• NFL players, such as Tom Brady, have good-size boats, but team owners have big yachts.
• Several NFL team owners have sizable, pedigree European shipyard builds.
• You’d never know the owners based on the yacht names.
• The yachts cruise all over the world, including the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

European Shipyards that NFL Owners Choose

Europe has always been seen as the place to buy a pedigree superyacht, and owners of NFL teams naturally gravitate toward the best. They’ve commissioned yachts from Oceanco , Lürssen, Feadship and Royal Hakvoort.

Jerry Jones’ Bravo Eugenia

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones owns Bravo Eugenia , a 357-foot Oceanco that was delivered in late 2018. Forbes reported that, during the pandemic, Jones handled the NFL draft from on board—in a luxurious version of social-distancing. The yacht itself is noteworthy for its hybrid propulsion as well as its multiple helipads, which give Jones the ability to land on board pretty much anywhere in the world.

Shahid Khan’s Kismet

In 2014, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan took delivery of the 312-foot Lürssen Kismet . It’s currently listed for sale on the Moran Yacht & Ship website at an asking price of about $160 million, with what the brokerage house calls a “decadent interior” by Reymond Langton Design. Accommodations are for 16 guests, with quarters for 28 crew. The yacht has a helipad, a spa, a swimming pool and an outdoor fireplace—a rare find aboard any yacht of any size.

American Shipyards that NFL Owners Choose

Some NFL owners skip the European shipyards (and their years-long waiting lists) altogether and go with American builds instead. These yachts are new or refitted after being purchased from previous owners, showing that it’s possible to get exactly what you want in a yacht even if you don’t choose the process of custom construction.

Steve Bisciotti’s Winning Drive

Baltimore Ravens majority owner Steve Bisciotti reportedly also owns Winning Drive , a Westport 130 that left the yard in 2012. This is one of the most popular American-model yachts ever, with the series in build since way back in 2000 and the company still offering new versions today. The 10-guest, seven-crew Westport 130 is also a popular model on the charter market, if anyone wants to book a different hull to get a feel for life on board Bisciotti style.

Stan Kroenke’s Aquila

This billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Rams (and numerous other sports teams) reportedly also owns Aquila , a 280-foot Derecktor that started life on the water in 2010 as Cakewalk —the largest private motoryacht ever built in the United States. The yacht underwent a yearlong refit at Pendennis and is currently available for charter through Burgess at a lowest weekly base rate of $945,000. Guests have full access to the onboard elevator, cinema room, spa and massage areas, and bridge-deck fire pit.

Tom Brady’s Boat

By comparison with these behemoths, Brady’s Wajer 77 seems small—but it’s actually the largest model in the builder’s line. It’s built for speed and silence, with a top speed of 37 knots and extensive use of insulation to dampen onboard noise. Smaller models from Wajer give all kinds of boat owners a chance to sample the kind of fun that Brady is having out on the water.

The Wajer 38 is the entry-level model in the builder’s lineup, with 45 knots of speed (yes, it can outrun Tom Brady’s boat). The 300-nautical-mile range means this boat is well-suited for weekend getaways, and the fact that the boat is packed with seating and sun pads mean owners can bring plenty of friends along for the ride. Vripack in the Netherlands—also a superyacht designer—handled naval architecture, which explains the upscale feel.

This is the model that Tom Brady had before he upgraded to the builder’s larger flagship. The 55S is still in production today. It’s a 38-knot boat with a 400-nautical-mile range and a center-console design that allows great walkaround space for fishing and other water sports. Belowdecks, there’s accommodations for as many as four people, if owners want to spend the night on the hook. For the hull, owners can choose among a wide variety of colors, ranging from more subtle blacks and whites to high-octane yellows and pinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do more NFL team owners than NFL players own superyachts?

Generally speaking, superyacht owners are billionaires, while even the most successful NFL players tend to be multimillionaires.

Do any NFL team owners have yachts bigger than a football field?

A football field between the goal lines is 100 yards, or 300 feet. That means several NFL team owners have yachts that would be too long to fit inside their own stadiums.

Do NFL team owners keep their yachts near NFL stadiums?

Not usually. Dallas Cowboys owners Jerry Jones’ yacht, for instance, has been spotted everywhere from Vancouver to London.

Do NFL team owners with yachts also have other business interests?

Yes. Shahid Khan, who owns the Jacksonville Jaguars, made his fortune with Flex-N-Gate, which makes bumpers for vehicles. Steve Bisciotti, who owns the Baltimore Ravens, also owns staffing, recruiting and talent-management companies.

Do any NFL stadiums have dockage for yachts?

Not directly at the stadium, but there’s a marina adjacent to Soldier Field, where the Chicago Bears play, and boaters heading to Cleveland Browns games can tie up at the nearby Rock and Dock Marina at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Inside Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke’s $150m superyacht which boasts 37ft waterfall chandelier, salon and theatre

• G.P. Rodriguez
• Published : 16:11 ET, May 2 2022
• Updated : 9:06 ET, May 3 2022

WHEN it comes to luxury yachts, Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke need not envy other billionaires.

Walton Kroenke's $150m superyacht has everything a billionaire - or anyone - would need to enjoy themselves out at sea, including a 37-feet waterfall chandelier, a salon and a theatre.

The 73-year-old heiress and her husband, Los Angeles Ram's owner Stan Kroenke, bought the floating mansion a couple of years ago and renamed it Aquila, according to Boat International .

After an extensive remodeling at the Pendennis British shipyard, the yacht won the 2017 World Superyacht Award.

The Aquila, reportedly the largest yacht built in the US since the 1930s, now boasts a bar named "the London Bar" and two massage rooms.

It also features seven cabins, as well as a gym and a large jacuzzi.

Read More Lifestyle

I worked at Sephora – staff never replace broken products

The ship , which has been compared to an “exclusive members’ club,” has a deck that is for parties only. It includes smoke machines, a light show and a DJ booth.

Guests of the billionaire couple can also enjoy a new movie theater with an 85-inch screen.

And for the owners, there is a dedicated deck that features access to a private massage room, hair salon, office, and an opulent suite.

The yacht's centerpiece, however, is the 37-foot waterfall chandelier that illuminates all of the ship's four decks.

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And Aquila is open for charters - to those who can afford its listing price of nearly $1million for one week.

The listing states: "Alongside her impressive deck spaces and stunning interior, AQUILA has a large beach club offering a plethora of fun water toys, ideal for lazy days out at anchor.

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"Her zero speed stabilizers ensure comfort while static and the yacht's 28 crew offer an unrivaled personal service."

Walton Kroenke is worth a whopping $9billion, and her husband is worth about $10.5billion.

We pay for your stories!

Do you have a story for The US Sun team?

Email us at  [email protected]  or call  212 416 4552 .

Like us on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/TheSunUS  and follow us from our main Twitter account at  @TheSunUS

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Super Bowl LVIII: the superyachts built for NFL team owners

Related articles, superyacht directory.

What do NFL owners do during the offseason? Go cruising on their superyachts, of course. There's an exclusive (but growing) club of NFL team owners who together have commissioned some of the largest superyachts in the world . 

As the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs prepare to go head-to-head in this weekend's Super Bowl LVIII, BOAT takes a closer look at the yachts associated with the biggest names in American sport...

Joe Lewis • Tottenham Hotspur

British businessman Joe Lewis is the majority owner of Premier League football team Tottenham Hotspur and counts the 98.4-metre Abeking & Rasmussen superyacht Aviva among his possessions. When delivered in 2017, Aviva was the third yacht of its name to be owned by Lewis – including a 62-metre Feadship and a 68-metre , also built at Abeking & Rasmussen. The superyacht's standout feature is her huge padel tennis court, measuring 20-metres long by 10 metres wide. She also has an owner’s wardrobe that designer Andrew Langton claimed was "bigger than my house in France".

Arthur Blank • Atlanta Falcons

Owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, made his fortune as co-founder of American hardware store The Home Depot. Blank is supposedly one of the more recent additions to the elite club of sporting superyacht owners, taking delivery of a 90-metre Oceanco named DreAMBoat in 2019. The boat began construction on speculation and is one of the largest projects to ever be started before securing an owner. It was a risk that paid off for the Dutch shipyard – soon enough, the Espen Øino -penned superyacht was rumoured to have been snapped up by Blank just 18 months before she was due to be completed.

Whisper (ex Kismet)

Shahid kahn • jacksonville jaguars.

In 2014, serial superyacht and sports club owner Shahid Khan took delivery of his biggest boat to date. The 95.2-metre Lürssen is a hit with yacht-spotters around the world thanks to her "champagne and caviar" exterior (a golden hull and jet-black mast). Khan purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012 and on game days, a four-metre silver statue of a jaguar graces Kismet 's bow, with its paw resting on a football helmet. Other highlights include lavish, art-deco interiors, a basketball court on the bow and a dedicated onboard hairdresser.

Kismet was sold and renamed Whisper in September 2023.

Daniel Snyder • Washington Commanders

Feadship's award-winning 93-metre Lady S was reportedly commissioned by Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Commanders, and is one of the world’s most expensive yachts available to charter . A week on board might set you back over €1.4 million – but it's easy to see why. After all, at the heart of the yacht is a 12-seat, two-deck IMAX cinema, while a fully certified helipad allows VIP guests to come and go as they please. Fitting an owner at the heart of American sport, Lady S is also equipped with a number of sports facilities for golf, basketball, volleyball and football. 

Bravo Eugenia

Jerry jones • dallas cowboys.

Jerry Jones, owner and manager of the Dallas Cowboys, is said to be behind the build of Oceanco ’s 109-metre Bravo Eugenia . Built under the project name Bravo and delivered in 2018, Bravo Eugenia was applauded by the industry for her slender figure and elongated bow, courtesy of Nuvolari Lenard . Onboard highlights include a duo of helipads and a hybrid propulsion system. To the delight of yachting fans all over the world, Bravo Eugenia is a city dweller and is often spotted pulling into major cities around the world including Seattle, Miami and Cannes. She was most recently sighted in Tower Bridge, London .

Paul Allen • Seattle Seahawks

The 126-metre Lürssen explorer yacht Octopus was famously commissioned by the late Paul Allen, founder of co-Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks football team. Highlights include a swimming pool with a floor that raises to transform into a dancefloor , a floodable tender garage and a heli-hangar large enough to carry two helicopters side by side. Octopus is now under new ownership after she sold in 2021 but was previously owned by Allen's widower Jody, who still remains chairman of the Seattle Seahawks.

Winning Drive

Steve bisciotti • baltimore ravens.

Westport motor yacht Winning Drive is rumoured to have been built for American businessman and majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens football team Steve Bisciotti. The 39.6-metre vessel was delivered in 2012 as a Westport 130 and still cruises under the same name today. Unsurprisingly, she can often be spotted cruising between Baltimore and Palm Beach, according to BOATPro .

Ann Walton and Stan Kroenke • Los Angeles Rams

Ann Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune, owns the Los Angeles Rams football team with her husband Stan Kroenke. Together the pair reportedly purchased the 85.6-metre Derektor flagship Cakewalk and renamed her Aquila , which underwent an extensive refit at British shipyard Pendennis .

Top Five II

Terry pagula • buffalo bills.

Top Five was delivered by Dutch shipyard Royal Hakvoort in 2021. She is reportedly owned by American businessman Terry Pagula, who also owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team with this wife. The 61-metre motor yacht is described as an “ocean-going explorer” with an ice belt, built to a design by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design with naval architecture courtesy of Diana Yacht Design . One of the highlights of Top Five 's interior is her 2.4-metre-high ceilings.

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Kroenke vs Usmanov – the Arsenal power struggle that led to a decade of drift

It is five years since Stan Kroenke’s Kroenke Sports & Entertainment bought Alisher Usmanov out of Arsenal .

In August 2018, Usmanov and his business partner, Farhad Moshiri, accepted KSE’s offer of £550million ($697m) for their 30.04 per cent stake in the club. That took the Kroenkes beyond the critical 90 per cent threshold and triggered a compulsory purchase of any remaining small shareholders, most of them Arsenal supporters.

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It brought to an end a long-fought battle as two billionaires sought control of Arsenal’s future. KSE released a statement claiming that “moving to that model will bring the benefits of a single owner better able to move quickly in furtherance of the club’s strategy and ambitions”.

Five years on, that appears to have been borne out. Arsenal are now a healthier, more unified club. Moshiri resurfaced as the majority shareholder at Everton , with Usmanov’s holding company USM injecting funds into the club via a series of sponsorships. The government sanctions imposed in 2022 on the Uzbek-Russian billionaire have brought disastrous consequences for Everton .

But there was a time when some Arsenal fans saw Usmanov as the preferable owner — a declared Arsenal fan and benefactor who made declamatory statements about his intent to restore the club to greatness.

The stand-off between Kroenke and Usmanov lasted more than a decade — a period that, even with three FA Cup wins and consistent qualification for the Champions League , is often characterised in terms of inertia, underachievement or even regression.

Despite the deadlock over the ownership, it was manager Arsene Wenger who found himself most frequently in the firing line.

“I’m happy I led the club through a period where the money wasn’t there and that (the club) is now in a shape where they can spend the money,” Wenger said during an appearance for beIN Sports in October.

“As long as you had two shareholders, there was a little bit of conflict about investing money. If Stan Kroenke had invested a lot of money with Usmanov being at the club, if he wanted to buy the 30 per cent shares back, they would have been much more expensive.

“He decided to invest money once he owned 100 per cent of the shares.”

It was a fairly innocuous comment from Wenger, but also arguably the most succinct explanation of this difficult period in Arsenal’s history.

So how did this curious ownership situation come about? And does Wenger’s hypothesis bear scrutiny?

The story begins with David Dein, the former vice-chairman and principal mover and shaker in Arsenal’s marble corridors.

Arsenal were in the process of moving to the Emirates Stadium and, consequently, were operating under increasingly stringent financial conditions. With Roman Abramovich having arrived at Chelsea , Dein concluded Arsenal would soon need outside investment of their own to compete.

Unbeknown to the rest of the Arsenal board, he began meeting with potential investors. One of those was Kroenke — they met at Highbury House and toured the Emirates Stadium site. In April 2007, Kroenke bought a 9.9 per cent stake in Arsenal from Granada Ventures, a subsidiary of ITV plc.

A trait Usmanov and Kroenke share is that, at one stage, they were both personae non gratae at Arsenal. After Kroenke’s initial investment, chairman Peter Hill-Wood stated emphatically that Arsenal “don’t need Kroenke’s money and we don’t want his sort”.

Dein paid for his flirtation with Kroenke with his place on the Arsenal board. He was frogmarched out of his office by Hill-Wood, director Chips Keswick and a representative from Slaughter & May, Arsenal’s lawyers. The board felt Dein was trying to undermine them behind their back; Dein argued he was simply acting in the best interests of the club.

Dein had owned a lump of shares since joining the board in 1983. Although it pained him to part with them, he did not want a lot of his wealth tied up in the club when he was unable to have any input. By his own admission, he was not a good backseat driver.

There were a few leads regarding potential investors, including Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who went on to become chairman of Manchester City . Word then came about a businessman and Arsenal supporter from Uzbekistan.

That summer, Usmanov invited Dein to meet him on his mega yacht, Dilbar, in Sardinia. “The first thing he did was reel off the 1971 double-winning team,” Dein recalled. It certainly made an impression, which contrasted with Kroenke being an absentee shareholder who invested without any historic connections to Arsenal.

In a bizarre twist, it so happened that Kroenke was also on a mega yacht in the vicinity. So Dein, with his old friend and adviser Sir Ronald Cohen, began boat hopping in Sardinia to engage with the two billionaires who had the most direct interest in purchasing his Arsenal shareholding.

Little did any of them realise at the time how profoundly those meetings, and the eventual outcome, would impact Arsenal for the best part of a decade, leaving the club in a strange and destructive paralysis. With two opposing hands on the reins, the brakes were always on. Arsenal could not properly move forward.

“One minute, Ronnie and I were on Kroenke’s boat; the next minute, we were on Usmanov’s,” Dein recalled in his memoir, Calling The Shots. “Most disappointingly, Kroenke lowballed me, thinking he was the only game in town. I had a figure in mind of what the shares were worth, but he came nowhere near. ‘This is my price’, he said, ‘and if you think you can do better, then you must do what is good for you’.

“Alisher’s approach was almost the opposite. ‘What is it going to take?’. he asked. ‘I want to buy the whole club’.

“Here I was, juggling with two billionaires with two totally different personalities, who both wanted to own the club. Kroenke was a very sophisticated player looking for value. He already had many other interests with sporting franchises in the U.S. Alisher, on the other hand, was a true Arsenal fan and just wanted to own the club immediately, at any financial price.”

It seems ludicrous now, but there was briefly some newspaper speculation that Usmanov and Kroenke might team up to buy out the existing board. Such a collaboration was never seriously entertained.

Dein was hoping that whoever he sold to would help him to be reinstated on the board. That was one of the conditions of sale — if they get to control it, he gets to run it. Kroenke was hesitant, by now aware that close ties to Dein would not ingratiate him to the rest of Arsenal’s major shareholders. Usmanov, however, had no such concerns  and asked Dein to set up an investment vehicle to build up his shareholding.

And so, Red & White Holdings was born.

They started with Dein’s 15 per cent of shares, sold to Usmanov and his partner Farhad Moshiri. Moshiri was a British-Iranian commodity trader whom Usmanov had bonded with over reading the Financial Times. Moshiri would translate to a fascinated Usmanov, providing him with a crash course in Western business practices.

Moshiri was a Manchester United fan and he and Usmanov used to joke they’d buy whichever of United or Arsenal became available first. Dein was appointed as chairman of Red & White, with the intention that he would take up that role at Arsenal should Usmanov complete a takeover.

That, however, proved easier said than done. Arsenal’s shareholders were initially unwilling to consider yielding control to either Usmanov or Kroenke. Nevertheless, both men continued undeterred, buying up small shareholdings wherever they could.

To begin with, it was Usmanov who led the race. By February 2008, Red & White owned a quarter of Arsenal Football Club. Kroenke trailed behind but, crucially, had begun to build a relationship with the board. Later that year, the American was invited to join them as a non-executive director — an honour that was never bestowed on Usmanov. Significant shareholders began to sell off small stakes to Kroenke, who gradually assimilated with the old guard.

The balance of power truly swung in April 2011 when Kroenke acquired the stakes of both Danny Fiszman and Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith, taking him to approximately 63 per cent. To close those deals, Kroenke worked closely with lawyer Tim Lewis, whom he has since appointed as the club’s vice-chair.

“Mr Kroenke, although relatively new to Arsenal, has shown himself to be a man who values and respects the history and traditions of this very special club that we cherish,” said a furiously backpedalling Hill-Wood. “We are confident that he will be a safe custodian of its future.”

That might have been the end of it. Kroenke was obliged to make an offer for the remainder of the shares and the valuation offered Usmanov a minor profit. But, to the considerable surprise of several board members, the ostracised billionaire declined to sell.

Usmanov insisted he was committed to Arsenal — for better or for worse.

While Arsenal’s shareholders were vehemently opposed to Usmanov’s investment in the club, in the early days, there was some dialogue with Red & White.

After all, it was, at one time, the club’s largest shareholder, just surpassing Fiszman.

Directors and executives held cordial meetings with Red & White, which usually appeared in the guise of Moshiri. While the finer details of club business were not discussed, it was kept abreast of broad strategic matters. Moshiri did not carry the stigma that Dein and Usmanov did at Arsenal and was even said to be close to several first-team players.

As it became clearer that Kroenke was the board’s anointed successor, however, Usmanov became increasingly sidelined.

Despite his significant shareholding, he was not invited to an away game, not taken to the dressing room, and certainly not invited to the board. “Alisher was frozen out,” Dein says. “It was astonishing how badly they treated him.”

There was an open invitation to the directors’ box but, perhaps understandably, Usmanov did not feel welcome. The only occasions he took it up were for visits of Chelsea when Abramovich was in attendance. The two billionaires have known each other since 1986 and Usmanov described the former Chelsea owner as a “very good friend”.

Usmanov’s connections in Russia were relevant in January 2009 when Arsenal signed Andrey Arshavin from Zenit Saint Petersburg. Usmanov had spent time heading the investment arm of Gazprom, the Russian energy giant that owns Zenit. As Arsenal sought to strike a deal, Usmanov worked independently to smooth the arrival of Russia’s star player. That perhaps provides an insight into the kind of owner Usmanov might have been: one interested in being directly involved in player acquisition.

Most who encountered Usmanov accept that he was indeed an Arsenal fan, albeit an unconventional one. He had two interconnected suites adjacent to the Diamond Club at the Emirates Stadium and was a regular at home games.

Despite the impasse between Kroenke and Usmanov, there was no great personal enmity between them. There couldn’t be — they had no relationship. Kroenke was never heard to badmouth Usmanov in boardroom circles. Theirs was, however, a culture clash. Usmanov’s bombastic public pronouncements were certainly alien to how ‘Silent Stan’ preferred to conduct his business.

Usmanov certainly became an irritant to KSE. When Kroenke purchased 5,000 shares from Fiszman in 2008, a complaint was lodged with the takeover panel. The presumption was that this came from Red & White, although it never publicly confirmed it.

In 2009, Usmanov underwrote and proposed a rights issue to inject cash into the club. Wenger was among those who opposed it. Buoyed by a promising group of young players, he felt the club did not need the money and the board were all too happy to agree.

Over the years, there were several somewhat populist, often curiously poetic statements from Usmanov on the state of Arsenal. “Arsenal is a dream that sometimes becomes a mirage, and sometimes a pain, as with every dream,” he said in 2014. “The potential of the team is there, but there is no critical evaluation of mistakes and they need to acknowledge them.”

With Usmanov taking public potshots at the club’s direction, many at Arsenal were keen for Kroenke to step forward more. Oratory, however, is not his forte. Invariably, his infrequent public appearances did as much harm as good.

In a last-ditch attempt to wrest control of the club, Usmanov launched a billion-pound bid to buy Kroenke’s 67 per cent share of Arsenal in May 2017. With Chelsea and then Manchester City benefiting from lucrative takeovers, there was a groundswell of support for Red & White — especially as it came packaged with Dein. There was a feeling among fans that Wenger was never quite the same without his closest ally.

But KSE was not for moving.

The Kroenkes felt their message was clear and consistent: they were long-term investors and their stake was not for sale. They felt it would have been to the club’s benefit for Usmanov to sell up and move on and were somewhat exasperated by his intransigence. “Nobody can ban me from being an Arsenal fan and take away my right as the second biggest investor in the great English club, of which I’m proud,” Usmanov said. Arsenal were beset by two stubborn billionaires, each waiting for the other to blink.

“There are scenarios where it is not fundamentally unhealthy to have two major shareholders who don’t collaborate,” says a football finance expert who has asked to remain anonymous due to professional conflicts. “If a business is self-funding, then it really doesn’t matter. Things can be just fine.

“But at their core, football clubs require constant injections of cash from their owners — the myth of self-financing is just that. If the guy next to you is pumping money in and you don’t do the same, you’re going to fall behind. And that’s exactly what happened to Arsenal during the era of KSE having less than 100 per cent ownership.”

Overall, Arsenal suffered during this stalemate.

“It was a very difficult period for Arsenal, with a stand-off for ownership between the two biggest shareholders, and it did the club no favours,” says Dein. “Two factions were vying for control and no business can be ambitious and unified in such circumstances.”

To characterise the period between 2007 and 2018 purely as one of limited spending and progress is an oversimplification.

To finance the building of the Emirates Stadium, the club tied themselves into several long-term sponsorship agreements, the value of which diminished as the competitive landscape shifted. When the club were liberated from those and able to seek new deals, their financial capabilities increased.

In 2013, Arsenal broke their transfer record to sign Mesut Ozil. They added Alexis Sanchez 12 months later. That period brought a flurry of FA Cups and continued the club’s impressive record of Champions League qualification — something fans would soon learn they could not take for granted.

As much as Arsenal’s self-sustaining model made it difficult to compete with Chelsea, it was a point of pride for many working at the club. They saw it as a badge of honour.

None more so than Wenger. As he saw clubs committing what he believed to be “financial doping”, he became increasingly entrenched in his idealism. When money was made available, he would often decline to spend it. In the summer of 2015, Arsenal could follow up Ozil and Sanchez with another marquee signing. In the end, the summer transfer window ended without Arsenal signing a single senior outfield player.

Wenger sought a purer way to win. That was his dream and, for a long time, the Kroenkes were prepared to indulge it.

When the Kroenkes took full control in 2018, there was a distinctively different approach. The football arm of the business took on a new structure, with a more committee-led approach to recruitment. As a statement of intent, Arsenal smashed their transfer record to sign Nicolas Pepe for £72million.

The pace of change was almost too much. In the space of a few months, Arsenal took on a different ownership model, a new executive structure, and a new head coach in Unai Emery. This revolution was initially clunky, not cogent.

It was only once Arsenal emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic that the new era took shape. The departure of the head of football, Raul Sanllehi, consolidated the power of sporting director Edu and the new manager, Mikel Arteta.

How Mikel Arteta rebuilt Arsenal: The story of his first 100 Premier League games

Lewis was added to the board and within one week, Arsenal announced they would be restructuring their remaining stadium debt of £144million by way of a substantial loan from KSE. This freed Arsenal up from their need to keep back £36million in a bondholders’ debt service reserve and dramatically improved cash flow at the club.

The refinancing had been discussed among the board many times over the years, but Kroenke had always been clear: he would only proceed once he owned the club outright. This was arguably the most significant outcome of KSE taking sole ownership, as it significantly loosened the financial restrictions under which the club had been operating.

The subsequent spending and revival of Arsenal have been underwritten by KSE. Arsenal still aspire to be a self-sustaining club but have recognised that, for that to be realistic, they need to qualify regularly for the Champions League. That has necessitated significant expenditure, which Arsenal’s financial results state “would not have been possible without the support and commitment of the club’s ownership, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment”. This has admittedly come in the form of favourable loans rather than a straight equity injection.

In that respect, Wenger’s assertion has been proved correct: having gained full ownership, KSE has financially supported the club.

But was that a sound strategy?

“The answer to that question depends on whose perspective you are taking,” says The Athletic ’s financial expert. “From the perspective of the Kroenkes, who wanted 100 per cent control and Alisher Usmanov gone, it made all the sense in the world, and in fact, it achieved their goals.

“They forced Usmanov to sell to them by giving him the silent treatment for a decade — their gambit paid off. And they didn’t permanently damage the asset because Arsenal are back at the top of the table after only a few years of investment.

“If your perspective is a fan’s perspective, somebody invested in seeing the club win, then it was not sound. The club underperformed for more than a decade.”

That is the crux of it. The stand-off between Kroenke and Usmanov, that decade of drift, was understandable from a business standpoint. But in terms of custodianship, it was undeniably problematic and fostered the frustrations among fan groups that KSE is still battling to overcome. The Kroenkes may not have had outright ownership, but they did have control. More could have been done to improve Arsenal’s position had the club’s interests truly been at the forefront of their minds.

“I love Arsenal, but I failed,” says Usmanov. “What can I do? But I also believe Arsenal lost something without Usmanov.”

Attitudes towards the Kroenkes are softening now. Investment — and improving results on the pitch — will do that. Arsenal appear to have turned a corner and the era of single ownership has certainly begun. It seems that, as the Kroenkes made plain to Usmanov time and time again, KSE is here to stay.

(Top photos: Harry How/Getty Images; Mike Egerton – EMPICS; by Eamonn Dalton)

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SEANNA Yacht – Exquisite Craftsmanship $60M Superyacht

$60 million SEANNA yacht features interior design from Susan Young Interiors and RWD.

She was delivered from the Italian shipyard, Benetti , in 2011. She is an impressively designed superyacht that has entertainment features and amenities for the entire family to enjoy. 

SEANNA yacht interior

The interior of the SEANNA yacht is designed by RWD and Susan Young Interiors and features beautifully furnished guest areas with neutral tones and lushes fabrics.

SEANNA is the perfect vessel for entertaining with her flexible accommodation for 12 guests, informal ambiance, and areas for recreation and relaxation.

Staterooms for guests are configured in a master suite, one VIP, three doubles, and two twins.

She has accommodations for 17 crew members for a luxurious guest experience. The modern interior has a cozy library for some peace and quiet, a sophisticated dining room, and a bar on the upper deck in the saloon.

The upper deck also features an indoor/outdoor CLUB SEANNA where disco music can play late into the night.

The observatory deck offers 360-degree views of the surrounding area, or guests can take a refreshing dip into the water from the swim platform.

There is a dedicated massage and beauty room, a jacuzzi, and a gym at sea level with a personal trainer, perfect for those who are ready to enjoy some pampering and wellness on board.

The beach club is the best spot to keep younger guests entertained with a huge selection of water toys.

The extensive collection of water toys includes stand-up jet skis, kayaks, and SeaBobs, amongst a host of other water entertainment features. 

The exterior of the SEANNA yacht was designed by RWD and built by the Italian shipyard Benetti . She was delivered in 2011 and has a sleek design with teak decks, steel hull, and aluminum superstructure.

She has a semi-displacement hull to provide exceptional seakeeping and impressive speeds. She features head-turning good looks on the water.

Specifications

The SEANNA yacht is a 65m beauty with a beam of 12.1m and a draft of 3.5m. The vessel has a cruising speed of 12 knots and a maximum speed of 17 knots.

She achieves these speeds with her twin Caterpillar engines . She has a displacement of 1423 gross tons and a range of 3000 nautical miles.

She features advanced at-anchor stabilizers that provide exceptional comfort levels for guests. The $60 million has an annual running cost of $6 million.

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Restaurant-Yacht Chaika

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

Pleasantly surprised, service is good so is the food. Great selection of Fusion food, a mixture of Italian, Japanese, European, Asian etc. A pleasantly nice dining experience, highly recommended, a must try!

Thank you for your feedback and invite you to have lunch or dinner again aboard the ship in an atmosphere of high standards of yacht hospitality.

everything was perfect - the food, the service, the desserts were the best, nice atmosphere and the location - magical

Best food, best view in Moscow. absolutely faultless from arrival to finish. Best risotto i had for many years absolutely perfectly cooked. The view on Ukrainian hotel and the white house by night is amazing

Had to wait for the food for 1.5 hours and then another 20 minutes for the check. Finally called for the manager and he offered... a 10% discount as a compensation. Simply pathetic! The food is mediocre at best. Not bad per se, but one... would expect something better considering the prices. There are many places to eat in area that are much better. Avoid this one at all costs. More

Hello, Alexander Your comment is extremely important for us, thank you a lot for it. We are terribly sorry for your time that you`ve spent waiting your order and we have already taken actions to improve quality of our service and it would be realy... More

Food is very expensive,very pretentious, doesn't worth that money. Portions are very small. We ordered ravioli and there were 4! Four raviolis! For almost 15 euros. Then we asked to bring us dessert menu but nothing, they didn't even bothered, so we payed and left... without dessert. Very poor service for that price. More

This is a very good restaurant. The food is really good, maybe the best in Moscow. The service is also good. The view from the restaurant is great. The prices are very high.

I often visit this restaurant and must say it’s one of the best in Moscow in terms of quality and service. Staff really try hard to make sure that you are happy and satisfied. Customer service is a huge problem in Moscow but Chaika sets... a great example for others in the industry! Food is delicious and the menu has lots of options for everyone! Atmosphere is great and view is beautiful on the embankment. Special thanks to German & Oleg! More

Thank you for your feedback! Again aboard the yacht restaurant "Chaika" in accordance with the high standards of yacht hospitality.

Highly recommended, great location in the city center of Moscow with a superb atmosphere. Too many menu choices, though all delicious!

Thx a lot for your review! We are looking forward to see you in our restaurants.

Visited this lovely restaurant with a friend of mine. It was relaxingly warm August evening - so the place on the river seemed like a good idea. We came quite early and the restaurant was not full. The hostesses kindly offered several places to sit... and we chose to sit on the sofas. We had some wine, which was good. We struggled a bit when deciding about the food as few options (scallops) were not available. Fish on ice on display did not look very fresh. To be honest it was an unusually hot August and it is probably understandable that some see food options were not available. However, we did manage to order something and sat waiting and looking onto the river. My long-legged friend struggled sitting at the low sofa and the manager noticed that, offering as a very good, proper table beside the open window. It was nice touch and I was very pleased by their polite observations and immediate reaction to solve the problem. Food was quite good and presentation was perfect. Perhaps I can something about the food, but 1 visit is not enough to criticize or make a definitive opinion. Overall, quality place, which of course, does not come cheap. I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. More

Good afternoon! Thank you for your detailed feedback! We are looking forward to seeing you again, we are sure that you will be delighted with our dishes!

I've been here several times during two business trip in Moscow. The overall quality for both service and food is absolutely top-notch, plus the location is very unique.

Hello! Thank you for your feedback! We are looking forward to visiting again!

Located on a boat at Krasnopresenskaya River Bank this 5 Star Restaurant transforms into a party location due to multiple groups hosting events. Impressive wine selection, Asian and European kitchen...

Thx a lot! We are waiting for you!

It is a nice place to gather specially at the lounge The service and staff very good I like the river view The food is almost like all restaurants in Russia they serve different cuisine. Staring Russian appetizer till Asian dishes Presentation and taste amazing... I consider it overpriced little bit More

Good location. Nice views. Good choice of food and drinks. European and Asian menu. Nice service. Pricey enough.

Had a large group dinner here. Food was above average and service quite good. The real attraction is the view of Moscow from the river on a nice night. Great place for a larger group dinner. More

Hello, John We are really pleased by reading that you and your friends were satisfied by our service, client`s experience is the highest value for us. We will be happy to see you again, come and enjoy some new dishes from our chef and nice... More

The luxurious atmosphere of this place, the view and the location make it quite outstanding. We had dinner here with friends and the dishes were amazing, accompanied by a chilled bottle of Chablis, it really made me feel as if it was a part of... the classic Russian movie. More

RESTAURANT-YACHT CHAIKA, Moscow - Presnensky - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 4.5