MLS Commissioner Don Garber yesterday "strongly refuted a report" on SI.com that the Red Bulls are for sale, according to Stefan Bondy of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Garber in a statement said he "can absolutely assure that the club is not for sale." Garber: "Both the owner and management team in Austria and New York are committed as ever to Major League Soccer, the club and their fans." Bondy notes the club recently "lost a battle in its frictional relationship" with Harrison, N.J., after a court "ruled that the team owed nearly" $3M in property taxes. Regardless of the "availability of the franchise, it’s a nervous time for its future as next season marks the arrival of a market competitor" in NYC FC. Red Bulls Owner Dietrich Mateschitz bought the club in '06 but has "never visited the arena." His tenure has been "marked by stadium construction delays, poor management, turnover and monetary losses (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/2).
ORIGINAL REPORT: SI.com's Grant Wahl cited a source as saying there is "zero chance" that the Red Bulls will re-sign F Thierry Henry next year and part of the reason is Red Bull has "dramatically reduced its investment in New York as Red Bull's global profits have declined, and its soccer interest has shifted towards its teams in Europe." The Red Bulls "didn’t spend to acquire a third Designated Player during the summer transfer window, and plans to start a USL Pro team have been shelved." Red Bulls Head of Commercial Operations Marc de Grandpre said that the team is "not for sale." However, a source said that if a buyer approached Red Bull and offered $300M for the club and their stadium, the deal "would get done within 48 hours." Wahl reported talks were held a couple years ago with a New Jersey-based investor group and then again with EPL club Manchester City "before the club acquired its expansion franchise" NYC FC, but "neither set of talks led anywhere." Wahl: "Long story short: Don't look for Red Bull to be involved in MLS in the long-term future" (SI.com, 10/1).
