Joe Mansueto buys control of Fire from Andrew Hauptman

The Chicago Fire have been sold to Joe Mansueto. Mansueto, who previously had a minority stake in the Major League Soccer club, is now the sole owner. | Getty

Perhaps only one piece of Fire news could make a bigger impact than their move to Soldier Field.

It came Friday.

The team announced that Joe Mansueto has taken over as sole owner of the franchise from Andrew Hauptman. In July 2018, Mansueto, the executive chairman of investment research firm Morningstar, purchased a 49 percent share in the team. At the time, Hauptman remained the Fire chairman, controlling shareholder and member of the MLS Board of Governors.

Now, Mansueto is in charge and will serve as the club chairman. Hauptman is no longer with the club.

Joe Mansueto is the new owner of the Fire.

“I joined Andrew as a partner because he developed a tremendous platform for continued soccer growth across Chicago and beyond. He and the entire organization have worked tirelessly to dramatically increase the profile of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, MLS and the game overall and have left a wonderful legacy for our city,” Mansueto said in a news release. “The timing of this transaction couldn’t be better as we return the world’s game to the city I love. Andrew and his family will always be part of the Fire family that he cares so very much about.”

Hauptman took control of the Fire in September 2007, and his tenure will be regarded as checkered at best. The club won six trophies from 1998-2006 but zero under Hauptman and hasn’t earned a playoff victory since 2009. The club, once one of American soccer’s success stories, cycled through executives and plans under Hauptman, all with the same lack of success.

Relations with fans also soured, and attendance at SeatGeek Stadium and general interest in the team plummeted. In 2013, a piece posted on their website and bylined by a now-departed communications executive “Editorial: What it means to be part of the Fire family” criticizing supporters for their alleged conduct after a 2013 U.S. Open Cup loss, went viral and brought the club national ridicule. The team’s relationship with the Section 8 supporters association after the banishment of the Sector Latino supporters group last summer still needs repair.

However, the club’s charitable and community efforts made inroads, and the team built the CIBC Fire Pitch on the North Side. As of the most recent salary survey, the Fire had the third-highest payroll in MLS. The team also negotiated its way out of its lease with the Village of Bridgeview, and is on the verge of completing its move to Soldier Field.

“What the Fire has achieved has been transformational for the club and the city of Chicago. We’ve significantly increased soccer’s presence and built an ecosystem that rivals any club across North America,” Hauptman said in the release. “I’m extremely proud of the positioning of the club at this historic juncture. I know that the next step of returning to Soldier Field will make Chicago proud and I look forward to cheering on Joe, the club and its supporters as they continue this legacy.”

Mansueto’s to-do list is long, and the first task is finishing that deal to return to Soldier Field, which would clear up any lingering confusion and allow the team to market the new home. Deciding once and for all what the team will be called is also key. Eventually, a soccer-specific stadium will be on the agenda, though that could be an arduous and expensive project.

Mending fences with fans – supporters groups or otherwise – will also be crucial.

Entering a pivotal offseason, Mansueto also needs to provide clarity about the direction of the soccer operations. President and general manager Nelson Rodriguez and coach Veljko Paunovic were not Mansueto hires, and barring an improbable finish, will combine to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years.

This story will be updated.