Podcast: Inside LaLiga's North American expansion
This week's podcast interview is a deep dive into LaLiga's strategy for North America with Nicolas Garcia Hemme, Managing Director of LaLiga North America. Find out how the Spanish league has managed to secure major partnerships with top tier brands such as Walmart and McDonald's, how their alliance with Relevent Sports works and how they approach the Hispanic soccer fan. Spaniard Nicolas, who was an Olympic silver medalist in Taekwondo before becoming a sports executive, explains the role of the league's clubs (including giants Real Madrid and Barcelona) in the expansion strategy and provides some real depth on what partners are looking for specifically from a modern deal with a sports property.
There is also our short news review with myself and Andre Da Costa breaking down the latest news out of USL and the NWSL and the pod is out on all audio platforms such as Spotify (below) and Apple Podcasts here
Bitter CBA dispute clouds start of new USL season
The new USL season gets under way tonight with the threat of a player's strike hanging over the league. It's hardly the kind of situation the league wants to be dealing with while it talks up the need for new investment for its ambitious pro/rel and D1 USL Premier plans.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the USL Players Association (USLPA) has expired and over 500 days of negotiations between the two parties have not yet led to a new agreement. The union received 90% backing when they asked for authorization for strike action but no strike has been called at the time of writing this newsletter.
The players want better pay, improved conditions, more secure contracts and guaranteed health insurance. USL has made some moves towards the demands but hasn't satisfied the union's demands yet.
Labor negotiations, especially when they get down to the wire, are never for the faint-hearted but the tone has taken a real turn for the worst in the past few days. With the USLPA receiving some favorable coverage from sympathetic media, the league came out with a FAQ which was emailed to the players and which included details on their legal right to cross a picket-line and suggestions on how to leave the union. A PDF of that email is here: usl-strike-faq.pdf
That led to a fierce response from the union accusing USL of 'classic union-busting'. All this comes after a week in which both sides have taken the negotiations into the public arena.
Here is what USL has published regarding their positions on pay and conditions. Link
And here is the response from the USLPA Link
We are not here to mediate on this dispute but the numbers involved certainly serve as a reality check for a league which is talking about creating a new top-flight division for the United States. The clubs would point out that they are trying to grow the league and are taking significant losses while they do so. The fact is that USL Championship clubs, with perhaps one or two exceptions at the very most, are not making money. The league does not have a significant revenue generating broadcast deal and attendances are poor. No teams managed to average over 10,000 last season with some clubs struggling to get 2,000. Trying to get accurate, trustworthy league-wide attendance numbers is difficult but an estimate of 5-6,000 as an average crowd seems reasonable. We can all understand those numbers and put them in context of the growth of the game but they also create an economic reality.
USL is trying to break out of that world of low attendance and low revenue with their move towards a pro/rel system and the creation of the new USL Premier with a targeted start date of 2028. Whether that approach truly delivers, only time will tell. They hope to expand into some bigger markets with more potential for bigger crowds and with an increased attraction to broadcasters. But in the meantime it needs to bring the players with them. In the past, USL players have been willing to accept pay and conditions well below those you would find for the most modest second tier leagues in Europe and they themselves accept that the previous CBA (actually the first the league has ever had) was well below their hopes but that they settled in order to lay down a marker and have some sort of deal.
But while everyone in the game hopes that a deal is soon struck, the conflict has hightlighted the unique business structure of USL. As USLPA executive director Connor Tobin put it in an interview this week: "One of the things that we have in this ecosystem is a misalignment of financial incentives. You have a lot of the investment to build these clubs and build these community assets are happening at a localized level, those are team owners that are putting that up, they're carrying a lot of the risk but a lot of the benefits are being held by a league office. There's a disconnect there”.
Let's hope that by the and of this process, club owners and investors, players and the league's owners, find a way to be connected and aligned, at least in relation to the CBA. In a World Cup year, soccer can ill-afford for it to be otherwise.
NWSL VALUATIONS SURGE, COLUMBUS CONSIDERS EXPANSION BID Average NWSL franchise valuations have jumped 77% to $184 million, with Angel City FC leading the league for a third straight time at a $335 million valuation according to Sportico. This financial growth coincides with exploratory conversations by Haslam Sports Group to bring an NWSL expansion franchise to Columbus, Ohio, to play at Columbus Crew's ScottsMiracle-Gro Field by 2028. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has pledged to "aggressively" support the bid, emphasizing the city's proven track record, world-class facilities, and healthy public-private collaboration. HSG own the Crew and the stadium in Columbus as well as the NFL's Cleveland Browns.
CANADA SOCCER SECURES MAJOR BMO AND WALMART PARTNERSHIPS: Canada Soccer has named BMO its official and exclusive banking partner and training kit sponsor for both national teams as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup. Additionally, Walmart Canada has signed on as a major sponsor focused on grassroots festivals and matchday experiences, featuring men's national team forward Jonathan David as a brand ambassador. The multi-channel collaborations aim to increase accessibility and engagement across the Canadian soccer ecosystem through community initiatives and high-profile "Send-Off Celebrations" in Edmonton and Montreal.
CHICAGO FIRE BREAK GROUND ON $750 MILLION SOUTH LOOP STADIUM: The Chicago Fire have officially begun construction on a 22,000-seat, open-air soccer stadium located in "The 78" megadevelopment along the Chicago River. The privately funded facility, slated to open for the 2028 season, will feature 50 luxury suites, a natural grass pitch, and a canopied roof. Club owner Joe Mansueto noted the project marks a "gigantic step forward" as the franchise moves from being a tenant at Soldier Field to an owner with control over its own schedule.
INTER MIAMI SECURES NUBANK AS STADIUM NAMING RIGHTS PARTNER: Inter Miami CF has reached a long-term agreement with Brazilian digital bank Nubank for the naming rights of its new permanent home, "NU Stadium," at Miami Freedom Park. Opening April 4, the facility anchors a 131-acre development and will also feature Nubank branding on the back of the team's match jerseys—a new MLS asset for 2026. Owner Jorge Mas stated the partnership with the Latin American financial giant aligns with the club's mindset of being global and disruptive following the signing of Lionel Messi. The deal is believed to be one of the most lucrative in MLS stadium history.
FC CINCINNATI REQUESTS $136M FOR TQL STADIUM EXPANSION: FC Cincinnati has applied for a $136.3 million grant through the Ohio Sports Facility Performance Grant Program to modernize and expand five-year-old TQL Stadium. The proposed $545.2 million project aims to increase stadium capacity and functionality to support "higher-profile events" and elevate the guest experience. The grant request follows the state's recent appropriation of $600 million for the Cleveland Browns’ new stadium project.
MLS OVERHAULS LEAGUE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE FOR GROWTH: Commissioner Don Garber has announced a major leadership reorganization designed to streamline operations and position the league for its next phase of growth. The restructure includes the departure of longtime President JoAnn Neale and the merger of Player Relations and Competition into a new Sporting and Matchday Department. Senior executives Camilo Durana and Carter Ladd will take on expanded roles overseeing business ventures, media strategy, and technology integrations. Full details of the moves at league HQ here.
JACKSONVILLE UNVEILS STADIUM PLANS: Sporting Club Jacksonville, of USL, has unveiled plans for a privately capitalized, mixed-use sporting district in the Town Center area to serve as the permanent home for its men's and women's professional teams. MORE
GROUND BROKEN ON HOMESTEAD HUB PROJECT Simultaneously, in South Dade, sporting icons including Manu Ginóbili and Juan Sebastián Verón have broken ground on a $280 million Sports Performance Hub that includes a 10,000-seat stadium for USL club Miami FC. MORE
SYNERGY SPORTS LAUNCHES $150M FUND AS SACRAMENTO MAPS FUTURE: Private equity firm Synergy Sports Capital has launched a $150 million fund targeting controlling stakes in emerging leagues, building on an early investment in the USL's Atlético Dallas. Former NFL wide-reciever Terrence Murphy, who is involved with the USL club, is heading Synergy Sports while another former NFL player, Reggie Bush, has joined as a partner. MORE HERE
HOLT HOPING FOR STADIUM PROGRESS In Sacramento, Republic FC has hired former USL president Tim Holt as its new president and GM to lead the club toward the 2027 opening of its downtown Railyards stadium. Holt will be instrumental in helping the club's ownership decide between elevating to MLS or joining the proposed USL Premier promotion-relegation model.
U.S. INVESTORS BID $380M FOR BRAZIL'S SANTOS FC: The U.S.-based Saint Dominique Group has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire an 80% stake in Brazil’s historic Santos FC for approximately $380 million. The deal is currently in a 90-day due diligence phase as the club seeks to strengthen its operations and elevate its global brand while avoiding the financial pitfalls of past foreign ownership cases in Brazil. MORE
