Ed. note: The following is a letter from MLS Commissioner Don Garber regarding the league's purchase of Chivas USA, announced on Thursday.
Dear Chivas USA Supporters,
Earlier today we announced that Major League Soccer has purchased Chivas USA and will assume responsibility for operating the club. We truly believe that Los Angeles deserves two strong soccer clubs and with some hard work and the commitment of loyal and passionate fans, Chivas USA can become one of the top organizations in Major League Soccer.
In the coming weeks, we will appoint an experienced sports executive to serve as the president of Chivas USA. This person will manage the day-to-day operations of the club and oversee all business and sporting areas. Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera, who spent years with the MLS League Office, U.S. Soccer and was an accomplished player, will continue to manage the technical side of the club. We have great confidence in his vision and passion for making Chivas USA a very competitive team, with players who care about winning on and off the field.
In the coming months, the league will work to find a new ownership group that will establish a new vision and plan for the team, and will be committed to building a new stadium in Los Angeles. We have already had initial discussions with a number of very qualified potential owners and it is our intention to transition the team to a new owner sometime this year.
The club will play as Chivas USA and will still call the StubHub Center its home during the 2014 MLS season. It will then be rebranded with a new team name and logo in connection with the sale to a new owner.
Jorge Vergara and Angelica Fuentes were part of Chivas USA’s original ownership group and recently became sole owners of the club. They were extremely passionate about Chivas USA, committed significant personal and financial resources to both MLS and the club, and truly believed in the opportunity to build soccer in the United States and Canada. We are very appreciative of everything they did to try to make things work in Los Angeles and wish them the best as they focus their efforts on Chivas de Guadalajara and their primary business, Omnilife.
We are confident this is the right move for the club, one that will provide you, the supporters, with a first-class team that is focused on winning, performing at the highest levels throughout the organization, and positively impacting the community. As part of this transition, we plan to add more resources to Chivas USA that will enhance the overall fan experience.
We thank you for your passion and dedication to Chivas USA, and we look forward to you joining us at the home opener on March 9 against the Chicago Fire.
Sincerely,
Don Garber
MLS Commissioner
