Will Chang became the steward of D.C. United when Victor MacFarlane sold him his stake in the soccer team in 2009. But while the club itself has continued to lose money while stuck at RFK Stadium, Chang gained, at least on paper, from being stuck as the team’s sole owner.
A day after Erick Thohir and Jason Levien were announced as Chang’s newest investor partners, Forbes.com reported that D.C. United was valued in the deal at $50 million. One source familiar with the deal said the team was valued at $10 million-plus more than that. When MacFarlane and Chang bought the team in 2007, they paid $33 million.
While Chang has long needed partners to have the financial ability to pay for a new stadium, his investment in the team hasn’t been a bad one. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s still involved.
“I’ve got black and red going through my veins, and it’ll be there permanently,” Chang said. “I wasn’t going to sell out, and I never intended to, and I never will.”
– Craig Stouffer
