Farewell Morelia

Many emotions came to mind when the news broke of the rumored Monarcas de Morelia city move to Mazatlan, Sinaloa.

When the rumors of Morelia being left without a first division team it seemed like a bad joke or meme. Okays sure Liga MX took away relegation for 5 years, did away with the Ascenso league that in all fairness was in porous conditions, and canceled the season without a playoff as Cruz Azul was Super Lider, but they wouldn’t let the sale happen of such an important team without a league review or at least public meeting with the owners, right?

Surely, they wouldn’t take a team from one of Mexico’s heartlands states of Michoacan where almost all one of Mexico’s biggest exports in avocadoes is grown. The moniker Monarcas wouldn’t have any meaning in any other state as Morelia, Michoacan has an actual sanctuary for Butterflies in the state’s capital. Then images appeared of a stadium in Mazatlan, Sinaloa where a stadium was built and ready for a pro team, the “if you build it, they will come” mentality was in full effect.

Then rumors turned from a move to the reality of how dire the financial situations of TV Azteca were along with club group owners Grupo Salinas and the odds of the team being sold became a bitter reality. Then the 25th of May came and the Liga MX President spoke directly to TUDNMX as reported on by Mexican Soccer journalist Tom Marshall on Twitter. Which was reassuring for some fans of Monarcas de Morelia then the 26th of May came.

On the 26th of May, it was announced on Twitter by Jose Ramon Fernandez, a reporter for Mexico Soccer for ESPN and Futbol Picante panelist, that in my rough translation  “Morelia disappears, the team has been sold to Mazatlan for 400 Million Pesos. The new stadium is property of the state and TV Azteca will stay with the rights to transmission.” As one can imagine the city of Morelia isn’t taking this too well. Morelia bleeds yellow and red, it’s a part of the cities identity. The city is supposed to still be under measures of staying home due to COVID-19, but this has angered fans and spurred them to go gathering in the city center of town and protest the move. Which has been occurring for the past few days since the news the team would be leaving.

For a team in Morelia that was top 10 in attendance in the League with usually sold out stadiums it’s a shock this can happen and so abruptly. if Morelia loses a team could Puebla, or other teams under bad management and ownership?

So, there it is, official. Recent accounts have been popping up with a dolphin on a crest and maybe the new social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram of the Mazatlan club. Although, all of this has yet to be confirmed it could be the new teams. We have the who and the what, the only question left to ask is why?