Yesterday, D.C. United announced that the Anschutz Entertainment Group had sold the team's operating rights to an ownership group led by Victor MacFarlane, a real estate and urban development executive. While rumored for several months, the sale came as a surprise, given the details of the deal that emerged yesterday.

MacFarlane, who heads the largest minority-owned real estate group in the country, will be joined by Will Chang, the chairman of a global investment firm and part-owner of the San Francisco Giants. Also joining MacFarlane are Christian Laettner and Brian Davis, a pair of former Dukies with local ties -- Laettner played for the Wizards for several years and Davis is a Bladensburg High graduate.

It is thought that MacFarlane's motivation for purchasing the team stems primarily from his desire to develop United's proposed stadium and the surrounding mixed-use area in Poplar Point. If so, we don't think this would necessarily be a bad thing. After all, team president Kevin Payne's capable hands would still be at the helm of the ship. Those hands have had an imprint on all four of United's MLS Cups since the league's inception in 1996. MacFarlane's focus on development should prove to be an asset to the team and a synergistic force in United's long-term goals.

Perhaps the juiciest tidbit of all from yesterday's announcement arose from The Bog's fantastic coverage of the event: Gilbert Arenas, he of the Phenomenal Swag, could join the United ownership entourage. Also, at the press conference, Brian Davis said that Mayor Adrian Fenty "has balls." Awesome.