The long-standing rumors that Mexican telecoms billionaire Carlos Slim was on the verge of purchasing the Chivas de Guadalajara, this city’s premier soccer team, look to be quashed once and for all.
The presidents of the 18 Liga MX clubs this week voted not to allow more than one person or company to own more than one top division soccer team.
This effectively rules out Slim’s hopes of buying the popular Chivas franchise, since his America Movil telecommunications firm already owns 30 percent of the Leon and Pachuca clubs.
Some soccer analysts believe the move by the Liga MX was specifically targeted at Slim, as broadcasting giants Televisa and TV Azteca were multi-team owners for many years and no one complained.Slim’s recent incursions into the world of soccer have their roots in his determination to lessen the stranglehold the two broadcasting giants have over the rights to pro soccer games, as well as other sporting events. (American Movil recently won the rights to broadcast the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics.)
Reforms that are designed to open up Mexico’s telecommunications and broadcasting sectors to more competition could persuade Slim to open his own free-to-air television network to rival Televisa and TV Azteca – something Mexican law previously denied him.
On the other hand, Slim is also concerned at moves by Televisa and TV Azteca to enter his main area of dominance: telecommunications and the internet.