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| Les Alexander looks on as his newest Rocket Jeremy Lin is introduced. (Photo: Bob Levey/Getty) |
Mark Berman of Houston's Fox 26 is reporting Rockets owner Les Alexander is in negotiations to purchase the Houston Dynamo. According to reports, Alexander is negotiating for full control of the team, meaning a buyout of all three current owners.
Currently, the Dynamo are owned by AEG (50% stake), Gabriel Brener (25%), and boxer Oscar de la Hoya (25%).
The news has fans talking, both good and bad. I won't claim to be an expert on Alexander, but from my point of view, this would be a positive thing. For years, fans have called for AEG to sell their stake in the club so they could focus on their golden calf, the LA Galaxy. It's obvious they are careful to invest money in the Dynamo knowing it's a venture they would sell in the future.
Alexander purchased the Houston Rockets in 1993. The Rockets went on to win championships in back to back years in 1994 and 1995, and continued to be a strong team throughout the nineties. He's invested money in the club, won championships, and transitioned into a new stadium when the Toyota Center was built. Most say that Alexander is not heavily involved in day to day activities, giving GM Daryl Morey freedom to run the club.
Even with the ownership issues facing the Houston Dynamo, club president Chris Canetti and head coach Dominic Kinnear have managed to build a winning franchise since the team relocated to Houston. A change in ownership raises concerns about how much involvement the new owner would have. If Alexander continued to give Canetti and Kinnear the freedom to fun the club they enjoy now, plus invest in the product, you could begin to see the possibilities.
The Rockets recently brought in Jeremy Lin to mixed reactions from fans, and have struggled for several seasons. Many Rockets fans are not offering any words of praise about the deal, but while a team is struggling with results and attendance, that kind of reaction is expected. Overall, his body of work since purchase of the club is positive, regardless of the current opportunities the team is facing.
More will surely develop in the coming days and weeks, but this fan would enjoy a change in ownership to a local owner with a history of success.
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