Famed Argentine club re-examining foray into MLS BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – For many world-renowned clubs, Chivas USA’s introduction into MLS in 2005 was an example of how they could expand and tap into a fertile field with plenty of growth potential. Two years ago, European powerhouse FC Barcelona toyed with establishing an expansion club in Miami. Now, it's Argentine giants Boca Juniors who have the idea of planting a seed in the States. Boca Juniors manager of marketing and business management Pablo Fuentes told MLSsoccer.com that he recently spoke with MLS about a possible deal between the two sides. “We spoke for about an hour about the chances of Boca playing over there and forming a franchise with the ‘Boca Juniors’ name, like Chivas [de Guadalajara],” said Fuentes. “As Boca’s manager of marketing, I think it would be spectacular and it’s not something that’s far-fetched.” An MLS spokesperson confirmed that the league maintains a good working relationship with Boca but that the immediate focus for expansion remains a second club in New York as the league's 20th team after Montreal joins MLS in 2012. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/boca-juniors-re-examining-foray-mls
Horrible, horrible, horrible idea for MLS. Might be good for Boca Juniors, but terrible for MLS. MLS should be waaaay past that. They are growing, they don't need a Boca Juniors team. We don't even need the one (Chivas USA). Ft. Lauderdale Strikers need to be the Florida team. Boca Miami would have disaster written all over it.
As I have said about Chivas USA and the proposed FC Barcelona USA, I completely in favor of foreign ownership of MLS clubs. However, please let the MLS club develop its own unique identity that fits the character of the community in which the club is located. In short, I am in favor of everything that was discussed in the article from the idea of Boca Jrs buying a franchise to playing more friendlies in the US to placing Boca Jrs youth academies in the USA. I'm just not in favor of a club named Boca Jrs. USA.
Ya, I remember going to USA v. Argentina in Miami. Sure there were lots of boca jerseys in the crowd and boca banners hanging over the railings, but there were also many River Plate and Independiente jerseys in the crowd. Does Boca Jrs actually think those folks would come out to support a Boca Jrs. USA based in Miami? lol
Exactly. I don't think anyone is really against Boca buying a team, as long as they respect the city and name it accordingly. No one wants a Boca Juniors USA or Boca Miami or whatever. MLS really needs to get away with that. Having Chivas USA play Boca Juniors USA would just be asinine.
Agreed. Not that I am in favor of this, but what about Boca Juniors being the shirt sponsor of a team? I could actually see that happening as a way to get around naming the team after themselves. I think it would be dumb, but is it possible?
I am not aware of any rule against it (and in MLS "rule" seems to be synonymous with "guideline" or "suggestion"). I wonder if a team in one particular league has ever been the shirt sponsor of a team in another league?
Fromm what I've read in spanish regarding this. Boca isn't so much in favor of naming the team Boca Juniors but insteading owning a franchise or even being the technical part of the team.
Me too. Nothing wrong with a well-known and successful club owning an MLS team if they can commit to making it a success and they keep their damn name off of it.
I'm not sure why this story has caught on so much of late, especially with Garber denying any talks with CABJ. Boca have been struggling the past few years, and they, like River Plate, are losing money at a pretty alarming rate. Plus, what sense does it make to have a football club as the primary owners of an MLS team? Certainly, the team would have its own board here in the states, but it seems a little ironic that we'd have a single entity, American style franchise owned by a club. I was similarly struck by the idea of Barca buying into an MLS club, especially given their financial status.
