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MLS commissioner not worried about English Premier League owners
USA - 27 July, 2007
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Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber is claiming that the sudden surge of U.S. businessmen owning English Premier League clubs is good for the league.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are among those under U.S. ownership. Stan Kroenke has had his attempt to take over Arsenal temporarily halted at 12 percent.
"It would be a concern if this was to have happened in 2001 and we were thinking, 'How do we grow the league?' and all the interest was in investing in football overseas rather than in Major League Soccer," Garber said.
At one time, that was a concern for Garber. Malcolm Glazer, for instance, owned Manchester United but would not look at the MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny.
"We were in an untenable situation in Tampa when a local owner bought Manchester United and (four years earlier) wouldn't buy the Tampa Bay Mutiny, which was then a league-operated team," Garber said. "That's a not an issue today."
Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are among those under U.S. ownership. Stan Kroenke has had his attempt to take over Arsenal temporarily halted at 12 percent.
"It would be a concern if this was to have happened in 2001 and we were thinking, 'How do we grow the league?' and all the interest was in investing in football overseas rather than in Major League Soccer," Garber said.
At one time, that was a concern for Garber. Malcolm Glazer, for instance, owned Manchester United but would not look at the MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny.
"We were in an untenable situation in Tampa when a local owner bought Manchester United and (four years earlier) wouldn't buy the Tampa Bay Mutiny, which was then a league-operated team," Garber said. "That's a not an issue today."
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