Chapter 748 Grand Alliance
The first team Hugo picked out was the Los Angeles Galaxy, but it was very difficult to acquire the Los Angeles Galaxy, mainly because the chairman of this major league team, Philip Schuentz, was very powerful. If you want to talk about wealth, he certainly would not be in Hugo's eyes. After all, Hugo and the Colemani family are invisible wealthy families. The reason they are invisible is that the family is very low-key, and Hugo is high-profile. It is difficult for him not to be famous.
Schuentz is also a low-key rich man with a net worth of nearly 10 billion US dollars, but this person is not simple. As early as the establishment of the major league, the league did not develop very smoothly. There is indeed some reason for the American football desert. Football is not one of the most popular sports in the United States, but Schuentz is very optimistic about the prospects of football. In 1996, he acquired the Colorado Rapids, and then successively acquired shares in some other football clubs. Nearly half of the teams in the league have his shares, so the major league almost relies on his own strength to get to where it is now. It is reasonable for people to call him the savior of the major league.
The United States is no longer a football desert. The football industry is developing vigorously, and Schuentz has made an absolute contribution.
Schuentz has sold shares in many teams, but he will not give up the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Los Angeles is the largest sports center in the United States, and it is also the base camp of Schuentz's industries, sports and entertainment.
The owner of the Staples Center is the Schuentz Entertainment Group. Schuentz owns 25% of the Lakers. This stadium is also the home of the NBA Clippers, the NHL Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. If the United States is to say that the sports industry is doing well, Schuentz is definitely one of them.
It is really difficult to take over the Los Angeles Galaxy in their base camp, even though the Los Angeles Galaxy is actually worthless in Hugo's eyes.
Hugo had expected this a long time ago. He originally planned to cooperate with Schuentz and participate in the shares. Schuentz, the old man, did not reject such a plan, but his asking price was too high. He was willing to give up 30% of the shares, but Hugo needed to pay 60 million US dollars. How could Hugo agree to such an offer? This was clearly a blackmail.
No matter how awesome you brag about your prospects, the center of world football is almost impossible to change. Even in Europe, according to Schuentz's offer, he valued his club at 200 million US dollars, but in fact, such a valuation is far from the valuation of the evaluation agency.
American baseball teams are very valuable, basketball teams are also very valuable, ice hockey teams are still very valuable, and rugby teams are also valuable, but football teams are really not valuable. Schuentz's valuation of Galaxy is a joke. How could Hugo accept it? !
Not to mention not accepting it, the old guy's lion's mouth also made Hugo extremely annoyed.
What if the negotiation fails? ! Hugo and Schuentz are fighting for the right place. Hugo doesn't have to have the fat piece of meat in Los Angeles. He doesn't take it seriously. He just wants to get Beckham to hang out with him and make some spare money. After all, Beckham's appeal is not to be underestimated.
He originally planned to talk to Schuentz about investment, and then Beckham and him would buy shares together, and Beckham could also come to the Los Angeles Galaxy to increase the popularity of the team. Now it seems unnecessary.
Of course, Schuentz didn't know that Hugo actually wanted to bring Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy. If he knew, there would be room for negotiation. When Beckham's contract renewal with Real Madrid was not going well, he wanted to dig Beckham, but he didn't succeed. However, Beckham's popularity is only higher than it was then.
First of all, Trapani has always been an ambitious and influential team, and Beckham has never been away from European football. Secondly, Trapani's playing style is very pleasing, and there are many fans all over the world, including many fans in the United States. Beckham naturally benefits from it. Moreover, Beckham's team is very good at operation and publicity.
Beckham's joining the team is like Pele, Cruyff and others playing football in the United States. It is of great benefit to the team, and Schuentz will be happy to make concessions.
But Hugo didn't mention it at all, so Schuentz naturally didn't know. He even sent people to contact Beckham's team to recruit Beckham. Beckham's mind is different now.
He was successfully brainwashed by Hugo, and he was eager to partner with Hugo to run a team. It would be great to run a team by himself, and he could play football. In the future, he could also satisfy his coaching addiction like Hugo. It has to be said that Beckham is still very obsessed with football. Beckham didn't talk about the problem with Galaxy at all.
Hugo told Beckham about his new plan, why don't we do it ourselves! The MLS is expanding and developing rapidly, and Schuentz is very happy to see this situation. After all, he is in business, not really interested in football. If Hugo and Beckham form a team to join the MLS, the old guy will definitely welcome it with both hands.
However, if you form a team yourself, you will have to wait until at least next season to join the MLS. There are many problems. Maybe it will take two years for the MLS to accept you. This is still an optimistic situation.
Hugo decided to leave the choice to Beckham. He said to Beckham: "There are two options now. The first is that you transfer to other teams and wait until our team enters the MLS before you join! The second is that you fulfill your contract with Trapani and then directly join our newly formed team!"
Beckham gave Hugo a second option at that time. He was willing to fulfill his contract with Trapani before joining his new team.
…
It has been publicized for a long time that the super-rich Gianluigi Colaini intends to enter the American major leagues. Schutz is not an ordinary person. He is really good for the major leagues and of course for his own good. As early as Hugo When I contacted him, he revealed this news to the media. American billionaires invest in baseball, basketball, football, and ice hockey, but it is really rare in the football field. Hugo is a good publicity medium. Look Look at the world's top richest people coming to invest in the major leagues. Do you think this is a problem? ! There's something going on!
Hugo had never thought of keeping a low profile, so just report it. The American media was paying attention to the negotiations between the Schuantz Group and the sports investment group established by Hugo. Unfortunately, the negotiations broke down.
But this is not a bad thing. When Hugo revealed that he wanted to form his own team to enter the major leagues, everyone in the United States applauded and welcomed it. They must welcome it.
And the key point is that someone sent a pillow to Hugo. The person who delivered the pillow was another major league team in Los Angeles, Chivas Regal USA. This team only joined the major leagues in 2004, and the boss behind it is Mexican. Jorge Vergara, who is also the owner of the Mexican powerhouse Guadalajara, formed Chivas Regal USA in 2002 and entered the major leagues in 2004.
Vergara also owns many sports properties. Anyway, this old boy is also rich. When he heard that Hugo wanted to form his own team, he wanted to withdraw from the American football market. Why? Because he invested in the United States. Why? In order to make money, but he had nothing to do in these years, so he recommended Chivas Regal to Hugo.
The two sides hit it off immediately, and the rest was just a matter of negotiation. Chivas Regal USA has Hugo's ideal conditions. It is rooted in Los Angeles and competes with the LA Galaxy. It is also a major league team and can participate directly. There is no need for any preliminary preparations. It only requires a big purchase. After a while, they can surely defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham can bring everything.
Besides, Hugo has also watched a few major league games, but his level is not good. Maybe he can only go to Serie A to be a relegation team. It is at the same level as the Chinese Super League that is reviled by the world. Hugo is full of confidence. Of course, he will not Regardless of this, in his heart Trapani is the only one he loves, and the Major League and Ligue 1 are just for fun.
Guingamp can provide Trapani with in-depth cooperation, mainly in terms of player resources, while the Los Angeles team can only expand Trapani's influence in the United States.