Orlando City SC owner Flavio da Silva is considering dedicating his fortune to philanthropy when he turns 50 in 2022, which could possibly mean his reducing his profile with the Major League Soccer franchise.
Da Silva, who paid $70m to take Orlando City from USL to MLS before the 2015 season, sold a 8.63% stake in the team to Albert Friedberg, last year for $42m. Da Silva is the majority owner of the MLS club, as well as its sister NWSL club the Orlando Pride and Orlando City Stadium.
“I’m not making a sale announcement. The announcement is that I will dedicate myself to philanthropy,” da Silva said in an interview with Brazilian media outlet Estadão. “But I believe that the apex of a successful entrepreneur is when the market becomes interested in what he has created to the point of wanting to pay for it and fortunately I’m constantly being sought out by investors.”
Following the report from Brazil, Pro Soccer USA citing sources claimed da Silva does not plan to sell all his shares of the club but just potentially reduce involvement.
