D.C. United Holdings

D.C. United Holdings is a group of investors that control operating rights to D.C. United, a professional association football club that is part of Major League Soccer (MLS). The group is led by William H.C. Chang (chairman of Westlake International Group), Brian Davis and Christian Laettner (co-managers of Blue Devil Ventures), and Kevin Payne (president of D.C. United) who will maintain his position with the new investors. D.C. United Holdings are also interested in adding Discovery Communications founder John Hendricks, who is also the founder of Women's United Soccer Association, to the "majority-minority" group. Brian Davis and former owner Victor MacFarlane were the first African-American owners in MLS; William H.C. Chang is the first Asian-American. D.C. United Holdings bought D.C. United from Anschutz Entertainment Group for $33 million, a record fee for operational rights to an MLS club. The group is pursuing a soccer-specific stadium for D.C. United in the Washington area.

On May 21, 2009, previous stakeholder Victor MacFarlane announced the sale of his share of D.C. United Holdings to majority owner William Chang, giving him a 98% stake in the organization.^[1] On October 21, 2009, Chang bought out Davis and Laettner, who held the remaining 2%, to fully control 100% of the team.^[2]

References

1. ^ "Victor MacFarlane to sell interest in D.C. United". D.C. United. May 21, 2009. http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/victor-macfarlane-sell-interest-dc-united. Retrieved 2009-05-21. 
2. ^ Goff, Steve (October 21, 2009). "DCU Ownership, Olsen, USA Friendlies". The Washington Post. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/10/dcu_and_usa.html. Retrieved 2009-10-22.