I wonder if there would be enough interest to get an expansion team going (let's say in NY) by issuing an IPO on the Stock Exchange. The funds raised could be used to acquire the Cosmos brand and provide enough cash flow to get things going. I find the idea of a investor owned team appealing. I'm not sure how the future earning potential of soccer in the US would reflect in the stock price and funds generated.
Man U is an exception. For every Man U there are a dozen other clubs that went public and busted. Man U can do it because they're not just a club, they're a product with world-wide appeal. An MLS club is far, far from that.
Kondrad What do your financials look like? Who will issue the IPO Who are your key investors? What's the return on investment? Thanks
Just look at QPR, Tottenham, Lazio, Millwall etc., etc. As another poster aptly noted, Man Utd is one hell of an exception.
The transparency required by the SEC would not be well liked by MLS. In addition the typical American investor is no longer big on companies with negative earnings. You could try to get a large group of private investors together in a private offering, but the SEC has its rules about that as well. For the Cosmos to come back it will take one owner/group. Nothing public will happen in MLS for a long time to come.
I believe that MLS has said that they will not take a group of investors as an owner/operator. I think it was after the initial DC United group kind of fell apart that they proclaimed their desire to have individual owners (at least for the time being).