| Born: | July 29, 1947 | Status: | Owners (Colorado Avalanche) |
| Hometown: | Based in Denver, Colorado | Known For: | Kroenke Sports Entertainment |
The Kroenke Family owns the Colorado Avalanche, through the holding company Kroenke Sports Entertainment (KSE) that is based in Denver, Colorado. It was started in 1999 by businessman Stan Kroenke to be the parent company of his sports holdings.
Today, the company has control of over five professional sport franchises, and one association football club that has two teams Arsenal F.C and Arsenal W.F.C, four stadiums, two professional esports franchised teams, four television channels, an internet TV channel, & 19 magazines which operate under the badge Outdoor Sportsman Group, four radio stations which operate under the badge KSE Radio Ventures, LLC, and websites.
Avalanche Under Ownership
In 2000, KSE became full owner of both the Avalanche and the National Basketball Association’s Denver Nuggets, purchasing the teams from Charlie Lyons’ Ascent Entertainment Group.
KSE inherited one of the NHL’s more talented franchises at the time, winning the Stanley Cup to cap the 2000-01 NHL season. It was the second championship for the Avalanche, which also won in 1995-96 – their first season in Colorado. The Avs made the playoffs for six of the next eight seasons, but then went through a lean stretch. Over the next 11 seasons (from 2006-2017), Colorado made the postseason just three times, but the drafts in those subsequent years set up the next run for the franchise.
During that stretch, the team was able to draft the likes of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. Those selections helped Colorado reach the playoffs every season after 2016-17, culminating in the franchise’s third Stanley Cup in 2021-22.
In 2010, KSE exercised his right of first refusal to buy the remaining interest in the Rams from the estate of the late-owner Georgia Frontiere. On August 25, 2010, KSE became full owner of the Rams by unanimous consent of the NFL. To gain approval from NFL owners, KSE, with Stan Kroenke listed as the owner, agreed to turn over control of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche to Josh Kroenke by the end of 2010, and for Stan Kroenke to give up his personal majority stakes in both teams in December 2014. The NFL does not allow its owners to hold majority control of major league teams in other NFL markets. On October 7, 2015, the NFL approved transfer of his ownership stake of the Avalanche and Nuggets to his wife, Ann Walton Kroenke.