By IVES GALARCEP
Major League Soccer released a statement on Friday about the ongoing rumors surrounding Chivas USA and their current owners.
Recent reports in Mexico have stated that Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim is interested in purchasing the entire Chivas franchise, which would include Chivas USA. On Friday, his son-in-law Arturo Elias Ayub declared that him and Slim were not in discussion with Chivas.
MLS moved to deny the rumors on Friday, issuing a statement imploring that there was nothing to the talk.
“Major League Soccer is aware of recent media speculation concerning Chivas USA,” read a statement from the league issued on Friday. “Such speculation is completely unfounded and untrue. MLS is fully supportive of the current owners of Chivas USA and has never considered taking over the club or moving it.”
American-based agent Ron Waxman, who counts Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and former Chivas USA forward Juan Agudelo among his clients, made several statements on Twitter on Thursday insisting that a sale of Chivas USA was in the works. He followed up on Friday by standing by his Thursday comments:
I stand by my story. Apparently holdup of acquisition of Chivas group is that Carlos Slim doesn’t want anything to do with MLS LA2 franchise
— Ron Waxman (@RonWaxman) May 17, 2013
Multiple sources told SBI on late Thursday that there was truth to the reports of a Chivas USA sale, though there were conflicting accounts of just what was happening. One Mexican report claimed MLS was stepping in and buying the team, while sources told Waxman and SBI that Slim was lining up to buy Chivas USA as part of a packaged sale with Chivas Guadalajara.
Adding to the buzz surrounding the rumors of a Chivas USA sale is the fact that David Beckham has expressed interest in exercising his option to purchase an MLS franchise. If the league, or another owner, rebranded Chivas USA and moved the team to a new market, it would mark the second time in league history such a maneuver has taken place (The San Jose Earthquakes were moved to Houston and renamed the Dynamo before a new San Jose team took over the same club name).
So is there truth to the rumors or not? What we do know is that it doesn’t help MLS one bit to have talk of a franchise moving out of a market, or rumors of MLS taking over a club, when the league is in the midst of trying to finalize a $100 million deal to put an expansion team in the New York market.
What do you make of this situation? Do you see the Chivas ownership situation being resolved soon? Hoping someone buys Chivas USA? Where would you move the Chivas USA team to?
Share your thoughts below.