Philip Anschutz
Philip Anschutz is one of the most influential yet low-profile billionaire trailblazers who has built fortunes in oil, railroads, telecommunications, real estate and entertainment. Dubbed as "The man who owns LA," he is the Founder and Owner of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns and operates more than 100 arenas and concert venues worldwide, and Anschutz Corp, a conglomerate that controls the world's largest group of sporting teams and events. He is the majority owner of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, with a stake in the MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy. He has also served in the past on boards and committees of various charitable, civic, industry, and financial organizations.
Philip Anschutz Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Founder
Academic History
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B.S., Business
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
Chairman, The Anschutz Foundation
Emeritus Trustee, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Lifetime Honorary Trustee, The American Museum of Natural History
Alumnus Member, Smithsonian National Board
Anschutz began his business career as an independent driller in the Colorado and Wyoming oil fields.
He turned Circle A Drilling around and earned large returns in Wyoming and moved to Denver in 1965 to start his own oil business, the Anschutz Corporation.
Anschutz is the owner of several Major League Soccer franchises and was often credited as the league's financial savior during its monetary difficulties around 2000.
Over the first decade of MLS, he became involved at various times with the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Chicago Fire, the San Jose Earthquakes, the MetroStars and D.C. United.
As one of the leaders of MLS, he was one of the key people in the league’s purchase of English-language television rights to the World Cup.
He owns stakes in the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and venues including the Staples Center, O2 Arena, and the Home Depot Center.
The Anschutz Entertainment Group owns several arenas, including the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the O2 in London; music festivals including the Stagecoach country music festival and the Coachella popular music festival.
Since 1999, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, located in a desert east of Los Angeles, has been one of the world's best-attended and most profitable music events.
RAILROAD
In 1984, Anschutz entered the railroad business by purchasing the Rio Grande Railroad's holding company, Rio Grande Industries.
In 1988, the Rio Grande railroad purchased the Southern Pacific Railroad under his direction.
In 1996, he became Vice Chairman of Union Pacific with the merger of the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific Corporation.
PHILANTHROPY
As one of the world's wealthy billionaires, Anschutz has been making a name for himself in the philanthropic community.
The Anschutz Foundation supports a broad variety of community service, cultural and arts groups, health facilities and initiatives, and think tanks.
Together with his wife Nancy, he has contributed over $100,000,000 to the new medical, dental, nursing, and pharmacy campus of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado, which is now named the Anschutz Medical Campus in their honor.