MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday that the league
"has taken over responsibility for selling" the United's
operating rights, "in part because the current investment
group has collapsed," according to Steven Goff of the
WASHINGTON POST. Garber said that United's investors "have
received several offers to buy the team's operating rights,
but the group has not been able to agree amongst themselves
on a deal that would make sense for each of them." But
Washington Soccer Chair Paul Tierney "disputed Garber's claim
about receiving offers," saying, "That's just not true." The
team "was close to being sold" this summer to N.Y.-based
investment firm E.M. Warburg Pincus. But Tierney said, "We
have been a dysfunctional [ownership] group with too many
problems and not enough leadership." Washington Soccer's
main backers are companies run by George Soros and Octagon.
Garber: "George Soros and his partners have parted ways.
They have not been nor do we even have, an entity to directly
deal with as it relates to issues on team ownership. ... We
have a difficult time keeping in touch with [Octagon] as
well." Tierney said he knew of no potential "serious"
investors for the team. Goff noted the proposed Warburg
Pincus deal had been for an estimated $25M, but sources said
that the price has decreased "significantly" and that current
investors were "hoping to break even," which would mean an
estimated sale price of $15-20M (WASHINGTON POST, 10/14).
