Major League Soccer

Wealthy Mexican close to investing in expansion team.

By Robert Wagman
SoccerTimes

(Sunday, August 3, 2003) -- When Major League Soccer expands again, expect one of two new franchises to be owned and operated by wealthy Mexican Jorge Vergara.

In his "State of the League" address at this weekend's All-Star festivities at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., MLS commissioner Don Garber reiterated MLS's intention to expand by two teams in 2005, though apparently it is not out of the question that one team could be added as soon as next season.

"We've reached an agreement in principle with the folks in Guadalajara," Garber told Fox Sports World. "We're looking at cities now and trying to dot the I's and cross the T's, and I hope that by next season we will have a team that is owned by a very storied club from down in Mexico."

Vergara, who owns Chivas of Mexico's first division, as well as substantial interests in Saprissa of Costa Rica and Atletico de Madrid in Spain, sounded like a man ready to make a commitment.

In this weekend's All-Star Game, MLS All-Stars used three second-half goals to defeat Chivas 3-1.

"This is a great opportunity for us, to have a Chivas USA," Vergara said. "We have watched and been impressed with how the league has improved, and we want to be a part of it. . . We're going to be part of the MLS, permanent, and a permanent champion."

Where a Chivas-owned team might play is still not settled. "Any city with a Mexican population could be a candidate," Vergara said. "This will be something unique for everyone."

Garber has been wooing Bob McNair, owner of the National Football League's Houston Texans and the city's new domed Reliant Stadium, for some time. Arranging some kind of McNair-Vergara partnership in Houston would make a great deal of sense since there is a huge Mexican fan base in the Texas city. A friendly between the United States men and Mexico in May sold out Reliant Stadium's nearly 70,000 seats, probably two-thirds to Mexican fans.

Garber did not speculate where MLS expansion franchises would be located, but he said he expects two teams to be added by 2005 and another pair by 2007. It appears, however, the league's plan is to expand into major markets, such as Houston and Philadelphia, which are believed to be the leading candidates.

While lauding the local support of the mid-market Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League, Garber only would say MLS would probably be there "eventually."

In his "State of the League" speech, Garber said, "It's very easy for skeptics to look at the league and point out what the MLS is not. But this is what the MLS is: We are building new stadiums, we have great sponsorship partners, our TV numbers are improving and we are becoming better known internationally. The quality of the product continues to improve. The players that skeptics said we couldn't get or keep are now playing in the MLS. We have unequivocally become a viable, stable and growing league."

Garber said MLS would at some point in the future move to playing an August-May schedule like most of the rest of the soccer world, and would develop a reserve team system, "when we own all our own stadiums and control things better." That would probably be years in the future.

Garber also used his annual speech to announce a four-year extension of one of the league's central sponsorship agreements -- with American Honda, which will be "Official Automobile of MLS" and all of its teams.

"Honda has served as a truly visionary partner during the league's first eight seasons," Garber said. "The renewal of their deal through the end of the 2007 season exemplifies passion, commitment and innovation as Major League Soccer and its partners continue making American soccer the best in the world."

Honda has annually had its name attached to the MLS "Most Valuable Player" award. Beginning in 2004, there will also be a Honda "MVP of the Match" for every game.

Senior correspondent Robert Wagman can be e-mailed at bobwagman@soccertimes.com.