Playing for 90
Fansided

Last season’s Liga MX finalists in dire straits

By Thomas Buckley

Just a little over two months ago, León and the Pumas faced off for the Guardianes 2020 title. (Photo by Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)
Just a little over two months ago, León and the Pumas faced off for the Guardianes 2020 title. (Photo by Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
Liga MX 6/7
The Chivas are looking for ways to create new revenue streams. (Photo by Alfredo Moya/Jam Media/Getty Images) /

‘El Rebaño Sagrado’ desperate to find revenue stream

The Chivas – like many Liga MX teams – have taken a big financial hit since the pandemic arrived in force a year ago. Their revenues are down 40% compared to the previous fiscal year. The problem is so great that team owner Amaury Vergara even published a message on social media urging Chivas fans to purchase new jerseys.

Guadalajara still owes Necaxa a considerable sum of money over the acquisition of Cristián Calderón, Jesús Angulo and Alexis Peña in January 2020, there is still an outstanding debt to Manchester City related to the purchase of Uriel Antuna’s contract and former coaches Tomás Boy and Luis Fernando Tena are still awaiting severance checks.

The front office is also urging patience from its academy players, several of whom were promised raises that have yet to appear.

In the meantime, Guadalajara is negotiating with Jalisco health authorities to allow the club to sell tickets to home games at Estadio Akron, requesting they be permitted to hit at least 25 % capacity to lessen the sting of the ongoing numbers crunch.

On a side note, Chivas winger Uriel Antuna was sent home Monday from El Tri’s Olympic training camp after he tested positive for Covid. Management is concerned because Antuna played for Guadalajara (against Necaxa) on Saturday so players and staff will have to undergo contact tracing.

Next. Liga MX By the Numbers. dark

Team officials were also caught unawares since Antuna tested positive for the virus last season, so the thought of a re-infection was quite worrisome. After returning to the Verde Valle training grounds, a second test determined that Antuna had been the victim of a false positive and he is expected to be available for the club’s game against Pachuca (Feb. 22).

Home/Liga MX