Interesting press release on Bigapplesoccer.com the other day: http://bigapplesoccer.com/teams/cosmos2.php?article_id=40523 Former Cosmos players Pele and Franz Beckenbauer will be attending the Cosmos' home opener on Saturday, April 18th, making public appearances. That Pele is attending the home opener is not news. He's been involved with the new Cosmos since the beginning as their honorary president. But Beckenbauer attending the Cosmos opener is curious. Why? Here's a history lesson for those of you too young to remember. Way back in early 2006, the Red Bull corporation bought the MetroStars franchise. The purchase of the team by Red Bull corporate owner Dietrich Mateschitz was made at the suggestion of his very close friend Franz Beckenbauer. Beckenbauer was the person who made the connection between Major League Soccer and the Red Bull corporation. Now Beckenbauer is attending the Cosmos home opener for the first time since the new Cosmos started playing in the new NASL in 2013. I am wondering if Mr. Mateschitz is sending his old friend Franz Beckenbauer to the Cosmos' home opener as an emissary. Is Beckenbauer's visit to the Cosmos the beginning of a dialogue between Red Bull and the Cosmos? Is this visit an attempt to reach out to the Cosmos for a possible sale of the Red Bulls to the Cosmos?
No, I'm wondering why Franz Beckenbauer -- who was the person who convinced Dietrich Mateschitz to buy the MetroStars and re-brand them as the "Red Bulls" -- has never been to a Red Bulls game since the first "Red Bulls" game back in 2006. But now Beckenbauer is making a public appearance at the Cosmos home opener. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but at the "Beckenbauer" level, there are generally no accidents. Franz is going to Hofstra -- and he isn't coming to Red Bull Arena, and I'd like to know why he is making that choice.
Beckenbauer attended RBA's home opener in 2010. He went to Hofstra to see a Cosmos game for the same reason Pele did, because the Cosmos made an event out of inviting back former players for a presentation.
Hmm....I stand corrected. Nevertheless, Franz's visit to Hofstra is a curious one, and hopefully a sign of an upcoming sale of the Red Bulls to the Cosmos.