The growth of a franchise in the world of sports is measured by its sporting achievements, but also by the commercial diversification it is able to achieve thanks to the financial certainty provided by its brand. It seems that the time has come for the NBAâs San Antonio Spurs to expand into a diametrically opposed universe: soccer, and in Mexico, in Liga MX.
The intention of businessmen to expand their domains into soccer, despite coming from branches unrelated to the sport, is not new. There are several cases, including that of Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, who bases his fortune in the telecommunications market and is the current maximum shareholder of two Liga MX teams, Pachuca and LeĂłn.
Another case is Arsenal FC owner Stanley Kroenke who is a real estate tycoon but has expanded to own Sports Illustrated magazine and the following sports franchises or teams: St Louis Rams, in the NFL; Denver Nuggets, in the NBA; and Colorado Rapids of the MLS.
San Antonio Spurs and their possible Liga MX sibling
Saturday, March 5 is a date that marked Liga MX and in general all of Mexican soccer, as one of the saddest episodes in its history took place, the violent attack that Atlas fans suffered at the hands of Querétaro fans, which caused thousands of fans to invade the La Corregidora stadium to protect themselves from the riots that exploded in various parts of the stands. Evidently, the match was suspended and sanctions were imposed on those found guilty.
In addition to the sporting sanctions, which included the vetoing of the Querétaro and Atlas cheering groups, known as Barras, there were administrative punishments, including the banishment of the group that owned Querétaro and the obligation for the former owner to sell the franchise within a period of no more than one year.
With this market opportunity open, one of those interested in joining the Liga MX team ownership club is Peter J. Holt, the current owner of the NBAâs San Antonio Spurs, according to Sportico.The investment would make sense because of the geographic proximity and the closeness of the QuerĂ©taro and Spurs fans.
Peter J. Holt, San Antonio Spurs current owner. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The proximity between the city of San Antonio and Mexico is very close: only 130 miles separate them, which can be overcome with a 2-hour flight by plane. Likewise, it is well known that Texas has a large population of Hispanic origin.
The good news for Holt and the San Antonio Spurs is that Liga MX recently announced that the deadline for the sale of Querétaro was extended indefinitely, allowing time for a meticulously thought-out offer to be made to finalize the NBA-Mexican soccer union.
