Menu
Franchises

MLS Franchise Notes: Source Refutes Report That Red Bulls Are For Sale

In N.Y., Brian Lewis cites a source as saying that the Red Bulls are not being sold, despite recent reports that Qatar Sports Investments "was looking to buy" the club. The source: "I can tall you unequivocally that there's nothing there." QSI was "reportedly 'kicking the tires' on the Red Bulls, but a source stated flatly the club wouldn’t be sold." Meanwhile, MF Tim Cahill is likely to leave the club "by mutual consent." The move comes after Thierry Henry, the team's "other high-priced Designated Player over the past few seasons," retired after last season (N.Y. POST, 1/27).

FOUNDING FATHERS: In Atlanta, Doug Roberson reported the city's MLS expansion team, slated to begin play in '17, "has reached 17,500 seats reserved by slightly more than 6,000 members in the Founder’s Club" in less than a year. Owner Arthur Blank "asked those interested in the team to try to reach 25,000 seats" by the end of '14. While the club "didn’t quite make it, team management seems thrilled with the interest in those wishing to reserve seats, as well as to the participation in a survey sent out a few weeks ago." With two years remaining before the inaugural season, Atlanta’s MLS team "has a realistic shot at overtaking Seattle, which had a league-record 22,000 season tickets earmarked before its first season" (AJC.com, 1/26).

CHICKEN NUGGET: YAHOO SPORTS' Alex Baker reported Orlando City SC "has created an outcry ... by announcing a partnership with Chick-fil-A." The QSR is "known for its anti-gay politics," and while terms of the deal are unknown, the partnership "enables fans that wear their Orlando City jerseys to Chick-fil-A on game day to eat for free." Twitter "blew up in response to the announced partnership." For a team in a town like Orlando, which "has one of the top 10 gay populations in the U.S., to choose a partner that will alienate huge numbers of the local population doesn’t seem like the smartest way to grow." Baker: "Nevermind that it reflects badly on MLS as a whole" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/26).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/01/27/Franchises/MLS-Notes.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/01/27/Franchises/MLS-Notes.aspx

CLOSE