In a private room at a fancy Chicago restaurant, new Chicago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman introduced himself to the local media Monday evening.
For 2 1/2 hours, Hauptman entertained questions from a dozen media members and provided his plan for creating a successful brand for the Chicago Fire.
Hauptman, chairman and chief executive officer of Andell Holdings, purchased the team in late 2007 from the team's original investor-operator, AEG, in a deal touted as yet another indication of the young and well-heeled new owners being attracted to the league's hot product.
Hauptman explained that the decision to purchase the Fire was initially a move to take advantage of the great opportunity that exists within the framework of MLS. But the transaction eventually grew into a more personal expression of his own love of soccer and his appreciation of the family atmosphere that runs throughout the Fire organization.
"I wasn't looking for a sports franchise to buy," Hauptman, 39, said. "It was not my goal to own a sports team. But in this case, the move was about the opportunity."
But the family aspect of the Fire "is something very appealing to both my wife Ellen and me. It's hugely important."
Andell Holdings is based in Los Angeles, which is also home to AEG. At some point, AEG initiated conversations about possible ownership of an MLS club, as the vast company owned by Philip Anschutz attempted to further distance itself from the time not so long ago when it controlled six MLS teams.
"At the time, I didn't know from the MLS," said Hauptman, who spent 10 years living in London and is (or was, as he said Monday) a fan of Chelsea. But he attended a Fire game (an exhibition against Cracovia of Poland) last summer at the club's Bridgeview, Ill. home of Toyota Park, and that night a new MLS owner was born, or rather, created.
"This is coming from someone who was going every week to Stamford Bridge," Hauptman said, "But it was such a lovely evening. Then, two days later, I went to the [CONCACAF] Gold Cup final at Soldier Field (between the U.S. and Mexico national teams) and it was compelling in a million ways."
Within a very short period of time, Hauptman found himself the owner of an U.S. soccer team.
Though he jokes about his diminutive stature and youthful appearance, Hauptman carries enough respect that he was immediately placed upon the MLS's influential Competition Committee, as well as a committee that oversees the league's media connections.
Soon after buying the team, Hauptman arranged meetings with many members of the Fire's past, as well as its present. He sat down with the team's first coach, Bob Bradley, who is now coach of the U.S. national team; Peter Nowak, the long-time captain of the Fire who is now coach of the U.S. Olympic team, and Frank Klopas, an original member of the Fire who was named the team's technical director soon after the 2007 season ended.
What Hauptman learned was that the Fire, which still has two of its original roster on its present roster in C.J. Brown and Diego Gutierrez, has maintained a family atmosphere within the organization over its 11-year existence. Unlike most other MLS teams, the Fire holds tight to its successful origin (winning the 1998 MLS Cup in its first season) and enjoys the fact that there is a string of personnel that connects the past with the present.
In fact, new coach Denis Hamlett was an assistant coach on that initial Fire team and for the nine seasons that followed.
"It all goes back to ensuring we give enough respect to that history," Hauptman said.
A quick study, Hauptman immediately learned that MLS still has a challenge to maintain its current base of fans while attracting others who, for one reason or another, don't follow the league. He said the team must not focus on the sports fan who does not know soccer and would require a long tutorial to get interested.
"We have a huge amount of work to bring in those people who do know about soccer," Hauptman said.
During the candid talk, Hauptman revealed little experience with the city of Chicago. But he also revealed his understanding of the passion of Chicago fans, no matter what sport they support. That passion, he said, makes the ownership of the Fire all the more appealing.
"Who wouldn't want to own a sports team in Chicago?" Hauptman asked with a laugh.
"I'm here because I believe we can be a more important member of the Chicago sports landscape," Hauptman said. "But there is a degree of fun involved as well."
Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
