MLS: AEG sells its 50% stake in the Houston Dynamo to group led by minority owner Gabriel Brener

Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the owner of the LA Galaxy, have sold the conglomerate's 50% stake in the Houston Dynamo to a group of local Houston (Texas, USA) businessmen led by minority stakeholder Gabriel Brener, announced MLS and the Houston Dynamo on 15/12/2015.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition includes the MLS franchise Houston Dynamo, the NWSL franchise Houston Dash and ownership of the BBVA Compass Stadium in downtown Houston. Gabriel Brener, who already held a 25% stake in the club, takes control of the 50% share of AEG with his partners, the investment fund managers Jake Silverstein and Ben Guill. The exact division of the new shareholding of the club was not disclosed.

AEG divesting from the Houston Dynamo is significant for MLS, as this now means all 20 MLS franchises (and the next 4 expansion franchises) have independent ownership groups. In 2005, Philip Anschutz and AEG controlled five MLS franchises, while the Lamar Hunt family controlled three franchises, meaning that 8 out of the 12 existing MLS teams in 2005 were owned by two…