MLS Commissioner Don Garber says Chivas USA might not play in 2015

A decision on whether Chivas USA plays next year will be made after a deal is struck with new owners in the next couple of months, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said Thursday.

The troubled soccer team was purchased in February by MLS, which has sought new owners for the club that’s currently last in the Western Conference with a record of 6-16-6.

Chivas USA’s home venue is StubHub Center in Carson, which it shares with the Galaxy, a four-time MLS champion that’s currently second in the conference.

When it acquired Chivas USA, MLS said it would seek owners committed to building a new stadium and keeping the team in the Los Angeles area.

MLS also said the team “will be rebranded with a new team name and logo in connection with the sale to a new owner.” All those changes might require Chivas USA to be placed on hiatus next year at least, Garber indicated Thursday.

“We expect to be able to close an agreement by the end of the season,” Garber told reporters in New York after a news conference to unveil the league’s new logo.

“Once we get an ownership group in place, we’ll sit down with them and make a decision as to whether or not we’re going to keep that team operating in 2015 and beyond,” he said.

Amid Chivas USA’s poor performance, the team has averaged a league-low 6,492 in attendance for home games this season. By contrast, the Galaxy has averaged 20,163 for home games.

The MLS schedule for 2015 — the league’s 20th season — is expected to be announced later this year. With the addition of expansion teams in New York and Orlando, the league would have 20 or 21 teams depending on whether Chivas USA plays.

MLS acquired Chivas USA from Mexican owners Jorge Vergara and Angelica Fuentes, the husband-and-wife owners of Mexican league team Chivas de Guadalajara.

Vergara was part of the ownership group that founded the MLS franchise in 2005, but the team has struggled in the last three years. It also finished last in the Western Conference in 2012 and 2013 amid frequent front-office upheaval and roster changes.

Chivas USA next plays at Toronto on Sunday.