August 1, 2003:
Grupo Omnilife Founder and CEO Jorge Vergara, the owner of the legendary Mexican powerhouse Club Deportivo Guadalajara (a team commonly known as Chivas) as well as Costa Rican giant Saprissa, announces he will pay a $10 million dollar expansion fee to set up a new MLS expansion team called Chivas USA. Possible sites for the team are Los Angeles and San Diego.
August 25, 2003: Vergara tells media members that Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York are possible sites for new expansion team.
December 11, 2003: The Chivas de Corazon project, a traveling scouting and tryout camp, heads to Los Angeles, Calif., where under the direction of coach Denis Te Kloese, Sangre Nueva carries out its first stop on a two-city tour. A few days later the Sangre Nueva coaches fly into Houston.
October 20, 2003: Leading Los Angeles Mexican-language daily newspaper La Opinión publishes an editorial: Chivas USA debe estar en Los Angeles (Chivas USA should be in Los Angeles).
October 11, 2003: MLS Commissioner Don Garber speaks at Honda Futbol de Primera Symposium in Beverly Hills, Calif., announcing Philadelphia and Cleveland as possible 2005 expansion cities, as well as confirming San Diego and Houston as additional options for Vergara's new expansion team.
October 27, 2003: Garber confirms that negotiations with Vergara are advanced, while maintaining San Diego, Chicago, New York, Miami and San Antonio as possible sites.
October 27, 2003: Jorge Vergara is interested in having his MLS expansion team kick off in 2004, while MLS, although open to the investor's idea, considers 2005 the more likely target.
November 21, 2003: Garber announces that Chivas owner Jorge Vergara officially finalizes an agreement with MLS, signing a letter of intent to enter the league in 2005.
May 17, 2004: Garber meets with the Board of Governors in Denver, Colo., regarding expansion.
May 19, 2004: At a media appearance in Chicago, Garber says Chicago and Los Angeles are finalists for Chivas USA. The finalists for additional expansion teams in the next two years, are Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, San Antonio, Rochester and Philadelphia.
July 14, 2004: Major League Soccer announces 12th team to be located in Salt Lake City.
August 2, 2004: Major League Soccer announces The Home Depot Center and the Los Angeles metropolitan area will gain a second team in the league, with the placement there of the team to be owned and operated by Mexican entrepreneurs Jorge Vergara and Antonio Cue.
