Well, not quite yet. Energy Sports drink company Red Bull has acquired their second soccer/football team, formerly known as the New York Metrostars. The deal is believed to be around $100 million, now sees the club renamed to Red Bull New York. However is this deal really suiting anyone, else?

This is another major sporting coup for Red Bull. They own a number of sports teams, including Red Bull Ferrari, they have racing assets in the United States, and Red Bull Salzburg - an Austrian Soccer Team. However will acquiring a soccer/football team in the United States have more of a positive spin on U.S. Soccer?

The current frenzy over the deal has opened many eyes on the U.S. Major League. This takeover is major. Red Bull New York has a lot of people wondering – those that are not familiar with the U.S. version: who the hell are the Metrostars, well were? What we should be asking is, are they going to wipe the slate clean and fail to recognize whatever history this club had?

At Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull did exactly that; stating “this is a new club with no history”. The official team colours are supposidly violet and white, however violet has been replaced with red in the team strip, logo and just about anything else imaginable. The traditional supporters did not by any means favour this. This leads me to my next question: will people support this club (New York)?

New York’s strip, logo, etc have all been changed, check the website. What I found intriguing, and idiotic from the good people at Red Bull was this description of New York: “The club first became well-known outside of the USA under the name New York Cosmos, when superstars like Beckenbauer and Pele played for the team”. Oh please. Anyone half informed isn’t that naïve. Their PR department should’ve been lined up against a wall and shot.

If a company bought out my favourite team I’d be saddened that the club actually got to that stage in it’s history. I’d be disgusted if they deliberately changed the kit colours just to make a bit more dinero off the masses.

What I find the most disappointing is the fact the MLS has come out and said they agree with the deal because it will mean one thing: money. If they considered the fans veiwpoint maybe they’d reconsider a company that will most likely abolish the history of a second soccer club.

“Eighteen million Americans actively play soccer in the USA. Up to 60 million are soccer fans,” Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz said. “We were so fascinated by these figures that we made the decision to join and support this development by taking over the responsibility for the MetroStars.”

However when I checked the Red Bull website I saw the real reason; “Eighteen million Americans actively play soccer in the USA. Up to 60 million follow the games every weekend as fans or players. Soccer is just about to make a big breakthrough in the U.S. media.”

Let me translate: Because up to 60 million people follow the game, it’s becoming a breakthrough in the media, so it’s a bang up opportunity to advertise our product (Red Bull Energy Drink) to as many people as possible, thus making us a fat load of cash.

Now I’m not going to accuse Red Bull of half arsing the club when they’re running it, because I don’t think they’re that inept after analysing their advertising strategy, and their recent record at Salzburg. However, it would not surprise me that they will be more interested in money over results (hence why they called the club Red Bull New York), or until rival brands start to show interest in buying the remaing clubs around the world, i.e. taking their spotlight. Roman what’s his name didn’t add that to the Chelsea Title, or Stamford Bridge thank god.

I am less than convinced this deal will be anything good for New York fans. I believe the will always be fans of New York, not Red Bull. The only ones benefitting out of this deal are the money makers, not the fans. Sadly the Red Bull takeover of New York will only expand Red Bull’s wings, no one elses.

Paul Harbeck
writer