"Football is a balancing act between business and culture." - Tim Vickery
This report comes to us courtesy of USA Today:
"If you want to be a global brand, you have to be in the United States," said FC Barcelona vice chairman Ferran Soriano, the club's executive responsible for marketing. "We want to have a permanent presence here, and maybe that permanent presence will mean a team here someday."
The concept is not unprecedented. Jorge Vergara, who owns Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara, founded MLS club CD Chivas USA in Los Angeles in 2005.
Previously we had reported that a European superclub was interested in perhaps being the owner/operator of a 2nd team in New York CIty or a return of MLS to Florida. It now seems Barcelona is the most likely candidate.
Rating: 3 (Possible)
Here is an article just published in Seattle's P-I touching on our big rumor of last Wednesday and Thursday. The news here is that the rumor has legs and there really is official interest from the Seattle MLS group in making Henry the "face"of Seattle club.
Speculation on several soccer Web sites has Seattle MLS pursuing the French striker, and Henry has expressed an interest in playing in Major League Soccer. Seattle MLS part owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer is not denying the club's interest in Henry, a two-time runner-up for the FIFA world player of the year.
"Thierry Henry is one of my favorite players of all time. He has spoken in the past about coming to MLS to play soccer," Hanauer said. "I am now in a position with the Seattle franchise to consider such a player. It would be irresponsible of me not to explore and consider a possibility like this."
And if that is not enough there is this:
"If they want to get a designated player, I certainly can take the lead on that. Let's go get Ronaldinho," Roth told Major League Soccer Magazine in reference to Henry's Barcelona teammate and two-time FIFA world player of the year."I'll play him $25 million a year and put him in a movie."
The Henry rumor has now bounced across the pond. as well. And it is not an official rumor until it appears in The Sun of course.
And then cited in The Telegraph.
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