MLS on Thursday unveiled the ownership group for its new L.A. franchise, which is slated to begin play in '17. The group of more than 20 investors will be led by IDG Ventures Vietnam's Henry Nguyen, Warriors and Dodgers co-Owner Peter Guber and ESPN NBA analyst Tom Penn. Nguyen is designated Managing Partner of the new club, while Guber will serve as Exec Chair. More investors, a team brand identity and staff will be announced at later dates (MLS).
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L.A. TEAM INVESTORS
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| Larry Berg |
Tony Robbins |
| Nomar Garciaparra |
Bennett Rosenthal |
| Mia Hamm Garciaparra |
Paul Schaeffer |
| Ruben Gnanalingam |
Brandon Schneider |
| Chad Hurley |
Allen Shapiro |
| Magic Johnson |
Jason Sugarman |
| Kirk Lacob |
Vincent Tan |
| Mark Leschly |
Harry Tsao |
| Mike Mahan |
Rick Welts |
| Irwin Raij |
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MLS Commissioner Don Garber said of the investment team, "This is a money group. This is a group that will help us achieve our strategy." SI.com's Brian Straus noted each of the owners was "given a black and red scarf at the announcement, although both the league and club later said that the LAFC name and colors were placeholders" (SI.com, 10/30). In L.A., Kevin Baxter writes LAFC has a "large and impressive ownership group with enough star power to make it stand out even in Hollywood." Guber said of his fellow owners, "They bring a whole set of skills that is extraordinarily unique." Baxter notes the group is "exceptionally wealthy; it broke the MLS record" when it paid just more than $100M to join the league in '17. It also "committed to spending" at least another $150M to "build a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of about 25,000." But there are "almost as many questions surrounding the franchise as there are owners -- and there are 22 of those." Nguyen has "already relocated from Vietnam to Southern California, where he will work" with Penn on the "day-to-day management of the franchise ahead of its debut 2 1/2 years from now" (L.A. TIMES, 10/31).
BRAND APPEAL: Penn said that the club will "allow fans to have input on every aspect" of its branding, "right down to the colors." Their "initial promotional materials feature 'LAFC' in red type -- a color with special meaning" for a team owned by Vincent Tan, who "infuriated Cardiff City fans in 2012 when he changed the Bluebirds' home colors from blue to red." Nguyen said that the red lettering "wasn't a sneak preview, but actually 'a little joke' from him to Tan" (AP, 10/30).
HOME SWEET HOME: ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle noted in terms of possible locations for a stadium, the ownership group "was light on details, though Penn laid some of the group's plans." He said that a stadium was "already fully capitalized" at $150M. The footprint also is "anywhere from 15 to 100 acres, with a planned capacity in the mid-20,000s." Penn: "We'll get the ball rolling as soon as we find the right spot." But Carlisle noted there is "significant time pressure if the team is to meet its self-imposed deadline of beginning play in its own stadium" in '17. Penn: "We'll go to contingency plans when it's appropriate" (ESPNFC.com, 10/30). In L.A., Phil Collin notes local taxpayers "won't be taken to task." Nguyen said, "We have the resources, we have the experience, we have the capital to do this." Collin notes LAFC "hopes to break ground" on the venue by late '15 or early '16 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/31). ESPN's Taylor Twellman reports the site of the L.A. Sports Arena "is where the new stadium, as of this point, is looking to be built." ESPN's Max Bretos said the L.A. Sports Arena has long been an "eye sore in Los Angeles, so I think that being knocked down is good news for the folks in L.A." ("ESPN FC," ESPN2, 10/29).
