Hi Reader,

Welcome to this week's newsletter and it really is great to see so many new subscribers this week - many of you signing up after enjoying recent podcast episodes. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to friends or colleagues who may find the news and views here of interest.

Don't forget, if you have any news, suggestions for future stories or podcast guests, or are interested in discussing partnership opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at simon@thesoccerbusiness.com.

Cheers

Simon Evans

The Soccer Business.

With the World Cup just two weeks away, the coach of the US Men's national team Mauricio Pochettino has faced media criticism this week over two separate issues - both related to conduct and management style,

Firstly, some former players and many fans objected to the news that he had informed the players in his broad roster that they had not made the World Cup team by email and not a personal call. Secondly, reports emerged that Pochettino (or has representatives) had met with AC Milan officials to discuss the vacant head coach position at the Serie A club.

On the first issue, I tend to agree with the critics. There is a stark contrast with England's German coach Thomas Tuchel who revealed he had made over 50 phone calls last week, explaining to players why they were 'in' or 'out' of his squad for the big tournament. It does feel a little like breaking up with someone over text message to send the painful news by email. I don't think a few hours ringing round the players to explain the bad news in person is too much to expect. Perhaps there was a cultural difference at work here but Poch's decision hasn't gone down well.

However, on the Milan link, I have more sympathy for the Argentine coach. Pochettino is going into the tournament with his contract due to expire after the World Cup campaign is over. Major European clubs with coaching vacancies are not going to wait until after the tournament to start their recruitment processes. Yes, everyone wants to feel that Poch is fully focused on the job but a conversation with Milan isn't really going to change that. If federations like US Soccer want their coaches totally off the market, they need to tie them to long term deals. If there is no such deal then I don't think it is unreasonable for Pochettino to invest a little time (or the time of his agent) in checking out a potential landing spot for after the tournament. It's just the nature of the business when you have a high-profile coach.

Are either of these issues going to seriously impact Pochettino's reputation in American soccer circles? Not a chance. In a few weeks time he will either be a hero, having taken the USMNT deep into the World Cup on home soil with fans clamoring for a contract renewal or.....well, if the team flop then there will be many more things that people will be upset about then these two issues.

Soccerbiz bytes

From Nielsen some useful data for marketers on the Hispanic soccer market:

• 94 per cent of first- and second-generation US Hispanic fans look to social media for football content, making them the primary drivers of the digital conversation.
• US Hispanic sports fans are 38 per cent more likely to use TikTok for sports news and highlights than the general population
• 81 per cent of 1st/2nd generation Hispanic fans plan to engage via social media, making mobile/social strategies critical for this demographic.
• 32 per cent of US Hispanic sports fans consider a company’s brand, product(s) or service(s) for the first time when that company sponsors an event or sport they follow
• US Hispanic fans are 11 per cent more likely to buy a brand after seeing a sponsorship than the general population.

The Soccer Business Podcast: MLS's audience growth

This week's Soccer Business Podcast features Major League Soccer's Executive Vice-President of Media, Seth Bacon, revealing the league's latest numbers in terms of their broadcast reach. Seth told me that MLS calculates that the average weekend sees 7.9 million 'live match viewers' of the league. That's over 60% growth year on year since the league dropped the MLS Season Pass subscription element. We talk about the evolution of the deal with Apple and also look at international growth and the key demographics of MLS's young audience.

Myself and co-host Andre Da Costa chew over the MLS numbers and also take a look at the ownership strategies of Arsenal and PSG who meet in Saturday's UEFA Champions League final. We also discuss UEFA's own broadcasting strategy dilemma with their premium competition.

The show is on our You Tube Channel and also all major podcast platforms including Spotify:

Is MLS's Apple Deal finally... May 29 · The Soccer Business Podc... 29:28   ​

Earlier in the week we also had a special pod on Promotion and Relegation - reacting after a weekend of end-of-season drama in England and Europe and asking how the USL might make pro/rel work and whether such a system might one day also be part of an expanded MLS. We look at the pros and cons of such a system and speculate on how it might operate in the USA.

Is Promotion and Relegation... May 27 · The Soccer Business Podc... 39:30   ​

We have plenty more audio and video content coming up so make sure to subscribe on your preferred platform to make sure you receive notifications of new episodes.

This week's wrap-up of news in the North American soccer industry:

FORBES: SEVEN MLS CLUBS CRACK THE WORLD'S TOP 30 MOST VALUABLE SOCCER TEAMS Forbes' annual global soccer valuations place seven MLS clubs among the world's 30 most valuable, second only to England's Premier League (11 clubs). Inter Miami leads American clubs at #17 with a $1.35 billion valuation, followed by LAFC ($1.32B), LA Galaxy ($1.08B), NYCFC ($1.02B), and Atlanta United ($1B). The average revenue multiple across MLS clubs is 8.9x — well ahead of European leagues — reflecting the structural advantages of a closed league model and surging investor appetite.

Real Madrid tops the overall list for the fifth consecutive year at $9.5 billion after posting a record $1.27 billion in revenue, edging the Dallas Cowboys for the highest single-season revenue ever recorded by Forbes for any sports franchise. (Forbes)​

USMNT WORLD CUP OPENER AT SOFI STADIUM IN DANGER OF NOT SELLING OUT More than 10,000 tickets remain available for the United States' World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, raising doubts about whether the 69,650-capacity venue will be full for one of the tournament's marquee early matches. As of Thursday evening, The Athletic reported that over 3,500 tickets were still unsold on FIFA's primary portal, with a further 6,500 listed on FIFA's own resale platform. FIFA's prices for the game are — $2,735 for Category 1, $1,940 for Category 2 and $1,120 for Category 3. US Soccer CEO JT Batson said the federation was working with FIFA to ensure strong home support. (The Athletic).

ECHO INVESTMENT CAPITAL APPOINTS SPORTING DIRECTOR AND PARTNERSHIPS VP FOR NEW OKLAHOMA CITY SOCCER CLUB Echo Investment Capital has named two senior leaders for Oklahoma City's new professional soccer club, which is set to begin play in the USL Championship in 2028. Sead Karaselimović has been appointed sporting director, bringing over two decades of professional soccer experience including a seven-year stint as director of scouting and player recruitment at Sporting Kansas City, where he oversaw the club's global scouting network and salary cap operations. Vanessa Reid joins as vice president of partnerships and branding, most recently having overseen more than $42 million in annual premium revenue as senior director of premium and guest experience for the Minnesota Vikings. Reid began her career with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The club will be anchored by the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, a Populous-designed venue with a capacity of just over 10,000.

NASHVILLE SC APPOINTS LUCAS REID AS VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS Nashville Soccer Club has hired Lucas Reid as its new Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, tasking him with overseeing the club's partnership strategy and growing its portfolio of local and national commercial relationships. Reid brings more than 20 years of sports industry experience to the role, most recently serving as Chief Revenue Officer for Major League Rugby, where he led the league's full commercial strategy and helped develop domestic and international media deals including with ESPN.

Prior to Major League Rugby, Reid spent over a decade with the Dallas Stars NHL organization, eventually serving as Vice President of Business Development. Nashville SC used Excel Search & Advisory to conduct the search for the position. (Nashville SC)

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​BOSS NAMED OFFICIAL BUSINESSWEAR PROVIDER FOR THE U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM Hugo Boss has signed on as the official businesswear provider for the USMNT ahead of the World Cup, outfitting players in a collection featuring an unconstructed jacket, wide-leg trousers, and a relaxed overshirt — each embroidered with the national team crest. The brand described the partnership as an alliance between "one of the world's most ambitious teams and a brand built on confidence, style, and leadership." A commercial version of the collection, without the team crest, will be available at Boss retail stores, wholesale partners, and boss.com. The deal continues a trend of fashion and luxury brands attaching to soccer's growing cultural prestige in North America.

SENDA ATHLETICS RAISES $1.5M FOR THE WORLD'S FIRST FAIR-TRADE SOCCER CLEAT Miami-based Senda Athletics — known for its fair-trade certified balls — has raised $1.5 million in seed funding to launch what it says are the world's first Fair Trade Certified soccer cleats, with eyes on expanding the round to $2.5 million. Investors include Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang and Racing Louisville owner John Neace, the latter a connection forged through Senda's role as official ball provider for The Women's Cup tournament in Louisville. The company will outfit Canada and Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau at this summer's World Cup, with discussions ongoing for players from Cabo Verde, Panama, and Uzbekistan.

The brand is deliberately targeting soccer's underdogs — both on the pitch and in the market — competing against Nike, Adidas, and Puma through mission-driven storytelling rather than marketing spend. The NWSL investor backing lends the brand credibility at a time when women's soccer infrastructure spending is accelerating.

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​PORTLAND TIMBERS REPORT 30% SPONSORSHIP REVENUE GROWTH IN "NONTRADITIONAL" CATEGORIES The Portland Timbers are reporting record sponsorship revenue this season, up 30% year-over-year according to Chief Revenue Officer Joe Cote — the result of three years of work aligning partnership marketing and business development. Bank of America, the club's jersey sponsor, is notable as the first soccer team to carry BofA kits despite the bank's long history with FIFA. Oregon-based Tillamook is the second jersey partner.

Cote credited growth in nontraditional categories — including outdoor equipment brand Stihl and rack manufacturer Yakima — as a key driver. It's a model worth watching for smaller-market MLS clubs: building a differentiated sponsor portfolio around local brand identity rather than competing head-to-head for conventional sports categories. (Portland Business Journal)

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​JESSE MARSCH EXTENDED THROUGH 2030 WORLD CUP WITH CANADA Canada Soccer has signed American Jesse Marsch to a four-year contract extension through the 2030 FIFA World Cup, funded in part by philanthropists from five Canadian families including Vancouver Whitecaps ownership and the Carmie & Joey Saputo Foundation. Under Marsch, Canada has posted a record of 12 wins, 12 draws, and 5 losses, reached a program-record FIFA ranking of 26th, and finished fourth at the 2024 Copa América.. (Canada Soccer)

PEPSI GOES ALL-IN ON SOCCER WITHOUT A WORLD CUP BADGE Pepsi launched its "Soccer Deserves Pepsi" campaign this week featuring David Beckham, Memo Ochoa, Christian Pulisic, and Vini Jr. — leaning hard into soccer's cultural moment without holding official FIFA World Cup sponsorship rights (those belong to rival Coca-Cola). The effort spans TV spots, limited-edition packaging, a DoorDash tie-up, local restaurant partnerships, and a sweepstakes, with plans to extend through the summer via a Copa90 content series exploring food and soccer traditions across the U.S. (Marketing Dive)​

NEW YORK COSMOS TO OPEN WORLD CUP EXHIBITION AT HINCHLIFFE STADIUM The New York Cosmos, of USL, have announced a multimedia exhibition, "Cosmos and the Cup: Local Legends – Global Glory," opening July 3rd at the Charles J. Muth Museum at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. The exhibition celebrates the club's deep connection to the FIFA World Cup, spotlighting the 25 former Cosmos players who appeared in World Cup tournaments representing 17 nations, among them Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, and Carlos Alberto Torres.

The exhibition uses photography, archival materials, and artwork — including pieces by Rome-based sculptor Lorenzo Mortet — to trace the Cosmos' international legacy and explore broader themes of immigration, culture, and soccer's global influence. (New York Cosmos)

MLS ADDS WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY AS NEW LEAGUE TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR Major League Soccer has signed St. Louis-based World Wide Technology (WWT) as an official league technology partner, expanding an existing club-level relationship with St. Louis SC to cover all of MLS. The deal is designed to support the league's MLS 3.0 strategic vision, which focuses on delivering more personalized fan experiences through an AI-forward infrastructure, including agentic tools and the league's Fan Genome intelligence platform.

WWT will make its Advanced Technology Center and AI Proving Ground solutions available to the league to enable rapid testing and innovation before scaling across clubs. The company brings existing sports sponsorship experience from deals with the PGA Tour, NHL's St. Louis Blues, and MLB's St. Louis Cardinals. (Sports Business Journal)

TOPGOLF ROLLS OUT SOCCER-THEMED EXPERIENCE ACROSS MORE THAN 100 US VENUES Topgolf has launched a soccer-themed experience across over 100 of its US locations, timed to capitalize on FIFA World Cup excitement this summer. The activation combines a new hybrid game merging soccer and golf, full-sized outfield goals, tournament-inspired food and drink menus with tiered pricing, and World Cup viewing packages.

Sixty-three Topgolf locations have installed actual soccer nets, allowing guests to alternate between hitting golf shots and taking shots on goal, while the brand's Shot Shuffle game has been updated with soccer ball tracers and national flag decorations. (Trend Hunter)

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​ONEFOOTBALL AND POLYMARKET TEAM UP TO BRING PREDICTION MARKETS TO FOOTBALL FANS WORLDWIDE OneFootball, the football media platform with more than 600 million monthly users, has announced a flagship partnership with Polymarket, the world's largest prediction market platform, to embed real-time prediction experiences across the OneFootball ecosystem. Eligible users will be able to access Polymarket predictions tied to match outcomes, transfers, and tournament results directly within the OneFootball app, website, and media network.

At launch, Polymarket will be integrated across high-attention OneFootball surfaces including match pages, editorial content, and video placements, with future phases set to include live prediction widgets, odds-led content formats, and in-stream prediction experiences during live football broadcasts. (OneFootball/Polymarket)

APPLE SHOOTS AN ENTIRE MLS MATCH ON IPHONE — WITH A $265,000 LENS Apple TV broadcast the LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo match on May 23 using 15 iPhone 17 Pro cameras positioned across Dignity Health Sports Park — marking the first major professional live sporting event captured entirely on iPhone. The twist: each phone was paired with professional broadcast infrastructure including a Fujinon Duvo 25-1000mm cinema lens worth $265,000, mounted in full broadcast rigs with Blackmagic hardware and external monitoring.

The production was perhaps more marketing statement than broadcast revolution — one crew member who worked the game posted that it "looked terrible and malfunctioned many times" — but it underscores Apple TV's ongoing push to use MLS as a technology showcase. (Y.M. Cinema Magazine)