LAFC offer to sell Swiss club after being told to 'f*** off' in large-scale fan protest

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Tom Weber | Editor

Major League Soccer franchise LAFC have offered to sell their stake in Swiss giants Grasshopper after being told to "f*** off" by supporters at the weekend.

LAFC acquired a majority stake in the Zurich outfit in 2024 with the promise of stabilising the club and eventually bringing back the glory days. Grasshopper are Switzerlands most successful team, but they have not won the league in more than 20 years.

They dropped down to the second division in 2019, bounced back two years later and are now once again at serious risk of demotion. Grasshopper needed a relegation playoff to remain in the top flight last year, and it is likely to be the same story this season.

Every outcome is still possible with four games remaining. They are currently on course for another playoff by finishing second-bottom, but they could also still mathematically go down directly by finishing dead last, or stay up. However, they are seven points adrift of safety.

LAFC's ownership of the club has so far provided no noticeable benefits on the pitch. On the contrary, it has only left Grasshopper at risk of becoming a farm team for Bayern Munich as part of the Red&Gold joint venture with the Bundesliga giants.

LAFC offer to sell Grasshopper

At the weekend, after Grasshopper squandered their chance of reaching their first cup final in 13 years by losing to second-tier opposition, fans aired their anger with a large-scale protest against LAFC.

The club's ultras remained outside the stadium for the first 30 minutes of Grasshopper's 2-1 loss to Luzern. The only thing visible in the ultras section was a huge banner that read "F*** off LAFC!"

The away supporters from Lucerne showed their solidarity by displaying a banner of their own with the message "Against majority shareholders and multi-club ownership!"

In response to the protest, LAFC have now published a remarkable statement on Grasshopper's website. They acknowledge that they "underestimated" the task at hand when they acquired the club and say that they are willing to engage with potential buyers.

At the same time, though, the statement is a clear attempt at self-preservation and even a threat to the supporters. LAFC claim that "representatives of fan groups" are refusing to engage in meaningful and constructive dialogue.

LAFC argue that they are only committed to the Grasshopper's "future" and ensuring their long-term "sustainability," yet in the same breath insist that they are happy to withdraw all funding and let this proud club die if the fans really want them gone.

The statement, which you can read in full below, is indicative of a fundamental misunderstanding of European football culture and an entitlement that is worryingly widespread among American owners.

The private equity mindset seemingly can't comprehend that this 139-year-old institution is not simply a product that can be removed from circulation if it doesn't sell well. Grasshopper are a part of the fabric of the city of Zurich.

The club existed long before any of LAFC's owners came along, and it will outlive them as well. Even if Grasshopper, in their current form, cease to exist because the gracious owners withdraw their funding, a phoenix club will spring up in no time.

The people of Zurich are the ones keeping Grasshopper alive, not a bunch of billionaires in Los Angeles.

LAFC statement

"Dear Community of Grasshopper Club Zürich,

"We are addressing you today because the events in Lausanne and Saturday’s match against FC Luzern make it necessary to speak openly about what is at stake.

"We understand the frustration, and we share it. The current state of the club is not where any of us want it to be, and watching GC Zürich today is painful - for supporters and for us alike.

"It is important to us to provide clarity in this context. Over the past 2.5 years, we have invested significantly in order to keep the Grasshopper Fussball AG (GFAG) operating. We have made this commitment because we believe in the club, its history, and its future.

"At the same time, the financial reality remains that GFAG’s running costs continue to exceed its current revenues, and the club depends on ongoing external support to compete in professional football.

"When we took on this responsibility, we knew the turnaround would be long and difficult. We underestimated how much. We committed to turning the club around, which required taking decisive and far-reaching measures to secure any sustainable future for it.

"This work is structural, it is underway, and it will show its full effect over multiple seasons. We are not satisfied with where we stand today - in the league table or commercially.

"Recent protests have called for us to leave the club. We wish to state clearly that we are open to discussions regarding a partial or full sale of GFAG, provided it secures the club's long-term sustainability.

"We have no attachment to ownership for its own sake - only to the club's future. Any viable future for the club requires a suitable, committed, and financially capable owner.

"An unconditional withdrawal on our part would result in the club's liquidation and directly affect over 150 employees, their families, sponsors, partners, donors, and the wider community.

"Without continued investment from ownership, GFAG will not exist as a professional football organisation. However, should that be the genuine wish of the supporters, we are willing to engage in discussions on that basis as well.

"For several weeks, we have sought dialogue with representatives of fan groups, to no avail. We renew that invitation today and ask them to come to the table for constructive conversations on the direction of the club. We will engage openly and transparently, and expect the same standard of respect to guide all interactions.

"We wish to emphasize that our immediate priority is to focus on the remaining matches of the season and to secure the club's place in the league. We thank everyone who supports the team week after week with great passion, dedication and heart."

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Written by

Tom Weber | Editor

Tom Weber is a multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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