Kieran Maguire issues Aston Villa owners claim as £239m deal edges closer
Aston Villa chiefs Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris will use “subliminal” branding to create a shared identity for their multi-club empire.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the co-owners latest investment ambitions.
Birmingham Live reported on 28 October that the pair have taken a step closer to buying the license for an MLS team for £239million.
It is understood that the duo have moved to trademark the name ‘Las Vegas Villains’ with a view to establishing a football presence in the city.
Man City’s parent company City Football Group own a number of teams throughout the world that share their sky blue branding.
And Maguire predicts that Edens and Sawiris could move in a similar direction with Villa as the mothership.
“This makes sense from Edens and Sawiris’ point of view,” he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.
“It’s easier to attract larger sponsors if you can offer them a variety of markets where their brand can be displayed.
“The Premier League itself is incredibly popular but the MLS is delivering pretty high viewing figures in the US as well.
“Football has established itself as the fourth-most popular TV sport in the US.
“It’s a subliminal message as well. When you see a Melbourne City or New York City shirt, you do have that link in the back of your mind to Man City.
“Edens and Sawiris have recognised that. For a new team, £239m is pretty cheap in terms of an introduction fee.
“They have now got to monetise that. Vegas is a city where people go to spend money. Going to watch a football match would be an attractive option.“
In other news, pundit claims it’s “happy days” for Aston Villa after news breaks on first-team trio.