So, the "managing partners" have departed. Did they jump, or were they pushed? Garber in a recent Sporting News interview: "We have, like all leagues, markets that we’d like to see perform better. Chivas (USA) is an example of that. We have MLS staff in those offices working closely with them to try to improve that situation, just as an example. But there are a handful of markets we’d like to see do better." http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2012-07-21/sporting-news-conversation-don-garber-part-ii Interesting.
There's been a lot of scuttlebutt surrounding Chivas recently--- rumors of a stadium, rumors of a name change/rebranding, Garber basically calling them out, and downsizing the HDC--- that this becomes much more interesting than the normal ownership change. You can't help but wonder if this is the first in a series of actual developments there.
It's interesting because since the team launched, it's all been Cue. Vergara - who was very loud in the press from the Chivas/MLS All-Star Game in 2003 through expansion of 2005 - has been a very silent partner.
The timing of this seems odd to me. I agree with Howard the Drake that it feels like there should be another shoe dropping.
Is Vergara gaining for control to sell? Maybe he feels he can get more that way by buying from Cue early. I really think there is definitely a bomb shell of an announcement coming sooner rather than later.
Me? I'm waiting to see what EastLAChiva says. If he tells me to be disappointed, I promise I will be.
Hmm ... as a DC United fan this reminds me of when Victor McFarlane divested his share of the club and Will Chang ended up with 100%. It's hard to spin an investor departing as a positive thing. I think it's doubtful that this would be the first step in a series of positive steps. If Vergara really wanted to splash cash at this club and fix a lot of its problems he probably could of done it it even when he was only 50 % owner.
As a fan of the league--it's hard for me to say at this point whether this is a good development or a bad development in the history of this club. We'll have to wait and see what Vergara does. I do agree though with what was said earlier--if Vergara had wanted to become a major player in Chivas USA before this he had plenty of opportunity to do so, but he chose to leave the club in Cue's hands. Was Cue holding Vergara back or was Cue following Vergara's lead? Is this about an owner getting fed up with mediocrity and wanting to step up in a big way or is this about about a financial speculation project (the team) going horribly wrong and now Vergara wanting to have the authority to sell? I will agree with the general sentiment expressed in this thread, it seems like this is only step one in something much bigger that's about to happen. What exactly that something may be is anybody's guess at this point.
“It has been an exciting time for Major League Soccer and we are proud of the role that we played in the growth of the League” LOL good one
Again...someone is said to have owned 50% of the team and the other someone who was said to have owned 50% of the team bought the first person's 50%. Not 50% of 49%, but 50% of 100%. And now owns 100%. So the "MLS owns 51% of all of its franchises" bit keeps taking hits. Or should.
I believe whats referenced here is Vergara buying the other 50% of the half the league doesn't own. Technically he's purchased the Cue's 25% to become 100% owner of the 50% not controlled by MLS.
We won't have a better idea for awhile, but if I had to guess, the league came in an assessed the operation, told the partners that they had to invest more to fix the problems, Cue balked, either at the price tag of the additional investment or the new direction, and Vergara bought him out to clear the decks.
Im really nervous about this move. Vergara is nothing more than a deadbeat dad when it comes to Chivas USA. Cue had a vision but Vergara pulled too many strings to make this team remotely competeive. Cue was a dreamer but not a doer (until this year.) I really hope I'm wrong and we get a new stadium, more investment, and a plan. The real loser is the Chivas USA fans (I know we are not many. insert jokes here). Jose Domene is rumored to be out. This guy is a genius and an MLS salary cap expert. Think of all the trades made by us this year. I don't think this move will help us move away from Guadalajara to forge ourr own identity. It might be the end of all hope. Vergara is part Trump and part Donald Sterling.