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MLS Ticker: Dynamo reportedly set to have new majority owner, and more

photo by Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports
photo by Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports

It appears that all MLS clubs will soon be controlled by different majority owners.

Houston Dynamo co-owner Gabriel Brener is nearing a deal that would likely give him controlling interest in the club, Fox26Houston.com reported on Tuesday. Brener currently owns 25 percent of the Dynamo, but is teaming up with another pair of investors to buy the 50-percent stake that Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) holds.

If the deal is finalized, Brener would also assume control of the Houston Dash of the NWSL. AEG would then remain in control of only the LA Galaxy, giving MLS different majority owners for each of their existing 20 clubs and proposed four new ones.

Former boxer Oscar de la Hoya currently owns the other 25 percent share of the Dynamo.

Here are more news and notes from around MLS:

NINE MLS CLUBS TO HAVE PRESEASON CAMPS IN TUCSON

The 2015 campaign might not yet be over, but next year’s preseason plans are already being revealed.

Nine MLS clubs announced on Tuesday that they would prepare for the 2016 season by spending at least part of their preseasons in Tucson, Arizona. Not all of them will compete in the annual Desert Diamond Cup, which is scheduled for Feb. 17-27, but four of them will.

The top division clubs that are set to take part in the 2016 tournament are the Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution, Sporting Kansas City, and Real Salt Lake. They will be joined by USL expansion side Swope Park Rangers, which is owned by Sporting KC, and PDL outfit FC Tucson.

Making up the other group of five MLS teams that will train in Arizona are the Houston Dynamo, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps.

MINNESOTA UNITED HIRE STADIUM ARCHITECT POPULOUS

The architect company that has created a soccer-specific home for Sporting Kansas City and is in the process of doing so for Orlando City will do the same for one of MLS’s incoming expansion teams.

Minnesota United announced on Tuesday that it has hired Populous to come up with the design for the club’s soccer-specific venue, which will be located at the Snelling-Midway site in St Paul, Minnesota. Populous has previously worked on a host of sports facilities, including Sporting KC’s Sporting Park, the new Yankee Stadium for MLB’s New York Yankees, and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in England.

The stadium for Minnesota United is scheduled to be completed in early 2018, which is around the same time that the NASL club is set to begin its inaugural MLS campaign.

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How much will it benefit the Dynamo to by owned by a different majority owner than AEG? Surprised that there are not more MLS clubs taking part in the 2016 Desert Diamond Cup? Excited about how Minnesota United’s stadium will look?

Share your thoughts below.

 

 

Comments

  1. To be fair, Torres was a success on a very poor Chivas USA team. So it’s not like he didn’t already have a pretty good track record in MLS. And he came into the team in the middle of the season and has his legal issues hanging over his head. I think it might be a little late to peg him as not panning out.

    Reply
  2. This is my home team that I support, and it’s been very hard to support this time as of late. I am Hispanic, and even I can’t stand how much this team is pandering to the local Latino community by bringing in overpriced Mexican players that do not pan out (Torres, Landin, etc.). They need a new direction. Hopefully, this will help….

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  3. I’ve liked work that Populous has done in the past – but really? We can’t find anyone else to design MLS Stadiums? We need some variety.

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    • Variety? Because Yankee Stadium, Emirates and SKC’s home digs look alike?

      IS it too much to take a wait and see approach. Also based on the work they’ve done, duping a scaled down Emirates in the States or an amped up Sporting Park wouldn’t be bad at all.

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    • As PDL teams change rosters faster than a baby’s diapers, it’s hard to guesstimate how well the PDL’s FC Tucson or the new USL Swope Park Rangers will do. In previous years FC Tucson have actually won a game or two. When they opened the new 2000 seat stadium, they beat a Chivas USA team, but they are competitive in most games

      Reply

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