Re: [nas] Amanpour won't buy Quakes

I've read on BS that several Oracle/Quakes fans have
tried to speak to Ellison about buying the Quakes. No
luck.
--- AbraRob@aol.com wrote:

> Has anyone from the Quakes or Soccer Silicon Valley
> spoken to Larry Ellison 
> from Oracle?
> He's one of the richest men in the world and has
> been actively shopping for a 
> sports franchise in the Bay Area having already
> contacted the Warriors and 
> the 49ers (who said they were not selling).
> Cheers!
> Robert.
> 
> 
> Amanpour won't buy Quakes
> 
> AEG MUST LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR SALE OF MLS FRANCHISE
> 
> By Dylan Hernandez
> Mercury News
> 
> 
> 
> The investor group led by Tony Amanpour has
> withdrawn its interest in 
> purchasing the Earthquakes from the Anschutz
> Entertainment Group, leaving the soccer 
> team's future as murky as ever.
>  Amanpour made the announcement Monday, three days
> after he failed to meet a 
> deadline to submit a $2.5 million letter of credit
> to AEG. Had Amanpour come 
> up with the letter and passed a background check,
> his group would have 
> co-managed the Earthquakes with AEG next season.
>  According to Amanpour, the investment group had
> pledged the $2.5 million 
> required for the bid. The Earthquakes and AEG
> refused to comment about any aspect 
> of the negotiations.
>  Amanpour said his group withdrew its interest in
> the Earthquakes because 
> there was no guarantee that any Bay Area city would
> build a soccer-specific 
> stadium for the team.
>  ``My whole offering was contingent on a new
> stadium,'' Amanpour said. 
> Referring to his investors, he added, ``I couldn't
> risk $2.5 million of their money. 
> The investors wanted to see certain developments.''
>  The statement contradicted what Amanpour had
> repeatedly said earlier -- that 
> he would make the necessary financial commitment to
> run the team next season 
> even without the guarantee of a stadium. The letter
> of credit would have given 
> his group until June 30 to find a stadium deal and
> complete the purchase.
>  Two weeks ago Amanpour told the Mercury News: ``We
> are raising an initial 
> round that gives our investors an early potential of
> buying the stocks in this 
> company. And then we have a next round that would
> complete the acquisition of 
> the team as well as the funds for the new stadium.''
>  On Monday, Amanpour said his group is still
> interested in being a part of 
> Major League Soccer and that it could invest in the
> Earthquakes -- or another 
> team -- in the future. He said he would continue to
> monitor the Earthquakes' 
> situation ``from a distance.''
>  AEG chief operating officer Scott Blackmun offered
> no explanation on the 
> stadium issue, saying only: ``We believe Mr.
> Amanpour was well-intentioned and 
> are sorry that he's not going to be in a position to
> purchase the team.''
>  Blackmun added that AEG is in discussions with
> three investors from Mexico 
> about the Earthquakes and that it was hopeful it
> could find a buyer or a 
> partner to help run the team in 2005. Blackmun said
> the parties have different 
> opinions on whether the Earthquakes should remain in
> the Bay Area next season; 
> AEG's main goal is simply to find a new owner.
>  Meanwhile, grass-roots group Soccer Silicon Valley
> is continuing its search 
> for a local owner who would keep the Earthquakes in
> the Bay Area.
>  ``We're disappointed Tony couldn't reach an
> agreement,'' said SSV founder 
> Colin McCarthy, who worked closely with Amanpour.
> ``But we were prepared for 
> this contingency and are talking to other
> investors.''
>  McCarthy would not name the potential investors, or
> whether they were part 
> of the Amanpour group.
> 
>  
> 
>  Contact Dylan Hernandez at dhernandez@mercury
> news.com.
> 
> 



                
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