Houston Dynamo President/General Manager Oliver Luck spoke to the media Tuesday morning about the potential of new equity partners joining the Anschutz Entertainment Group as team owners.
Speaking at the Dynamo offices in downtown Houston, Luck said boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya and the Brener International Group, headed by Gabriel Brener, are close to a deal that would see each purchase 25 percent of the franchise, with AEG retaining 50 percent of the franchise and operating responsibility.
"There's been a tremendous shift in the last five or six years of new ownership groups coming into the league," Luck said. "Simply put, that's a great indication that the league is much healthier, and the foundation is much stronger than it has been since the league started 13 years ago, and I think that's a great sign."
Luck went on to say that the Dynamo are pleased to welcome two new partners with Hispanic heritage.
"I think another great sign for us specifically here in Houston is the fact that we have two Hispanics, two Latinos, who have seen a very good investment, they have written big checks to support that investment, and are happy to be involved in getting into the sport of soccer," Luck said.
Luck said he did not know specific roles either partner might take in the future, but he welcomes their addition. Both partners are expected to be on hand at Friday's formal announcement at Jones Plaza in downtown Houston.
"We're very excited about the development, and I think it's a great move for the franchise," Luck said. "I think Oscar's celebrity status will, no doubt about it, give us a little bit of a boost. ... People have asked me how often will we see Oscar in town and how many games will he attend. ... He's got a busy schedule, but I expect that we'll see him for at least 10-12 games this year."
Many questions focused on the Dynamo's discussions with the City of Houston about building a stadium downtown, and Luck said he did not anticipate the deal affecting negotiations.
"There's no conection between our stadium discussions with the city and this development, directly," Luck said. "My sense is that this may give us a little bit of help and momentum. It does show that there is some stability in this franchise, and that smart investors and smart financial people are willing to write pretty good-sized checks to get involved with this team. There's no question that this team is going to go anywhere else but Houston, and we are one of the top 2-3 soccer markets in the country."
