The Soccer Business Podcast

Alan Rothenberg was the President of US Soccer and took charge of the hosting of the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He then helped set up Major League Soccer and has been an influential figure in taking the game from the backwaters of the 1980's to the modern era. Alan's new book, 'The Big Bounce - The Surge that Shaped the Future of U.S Soccer' is the inside story on the hosting of the 1994 World Cup and he joins host Simon Evans to discuss the book and his remarkable career as a true game-changer in the American soccer business.    

This episode reviews the key decisions from the MLS Board of Governors meeting: MLS content will move from Season Pass into the Apple TV subscription bundle, and the league will shift to a new summer-to-spring calendar starting in 2027 with a transitional mini "sprint" season. Host Simon Evans and guest Alex Silverman of the Sports Business Journal discuss the rationale behind the Apple deal changes, potential audience and revenue implications, how the new schedule affects transfer windows and players, and unanswered questions on playoffs, contract length and distribution.

Simon Evans interviews Court Jeske, a veteran soccer executive whose career spans MLS, USL and founding Nashville SC. They discuss his role leading the OKC Pro Soccer project, plans for a downtown, expandable 10,000–12,000-seat stadium, and the broader mixed-use development. The episode covers community engagement, private partners (including Russell Westbrook and tribal stakeholders), commercial strategy, timelines for launch, and concerns over how the 2026 World Cup can be leveraged to grow lasting local support for American soccer.

Host Simon Evans is joined by Alex Silverman of the Sports Business Journal and Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer to go over this week's main news items impacting the North American soccer industry. LALIGA's Miami plans cancelled Apple TV and the MLS Playoffs - the F1 Factor? 2031 Women’s World Cup - the new Four Nations bid Brian McBride becomes GM of USL club Brooklyn FC   NBA star Jimmy Butler invests in the NWSL's San Diego Wave.  

Megan Oglesby of Carolina Core joins the podcast to discuss how she and her team created a new club from scratch in High Point, North Carolina. Megan goes through each stage of the journey from the initial idea, due diligence, early steps, stadium work, creating player pathways and delivering a state-of-the-art training facility that has been earmarked by FIFA as a potential World Cup base for a team. She also explains why she chose MLS Next Pro as the right league for the project over other alternatives and details the advantages of being an independent club in the Major League Soccer ecosystem. Plus why WPSL Pro could be prove to be the 'perfect bridge' between lower league women's soccer and the top flight NWSL and how a thriving soccer club can be at the heart of a community and local economy.    

In this episode we welcome a true architect of American soccer - Sunil Gulati. Sunil is widely regarded as one of the most influential figure in the sport’s growth in the United States, having been involved in the administration of the game since the 1980’s and serving as president of the U.S. Soccer Federation from 2006 to 2018. With over 30 years of experience at every level of the game, Sunil continues to shape the future of soccer business. He is a senior lecturer in economics at Columbia University and Chairman of UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body. In this interview, Sunil looks at the growth of the game from the tough days of the 1980’s through the 1994 World Cup, the creation of Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League. He also gives us his thoughts on the prospects for USL and on the state of youth soccer.  It’s a wide-ranging interview and I am sure you’ll find many insights. Before we get down to this interview - if you enjoy this podcast make sure that you are subscribed to our weekly newsletter - The Soccer Business. You can sign up for free at thesoccerbusiness.com

Michael Yormark of Roc Nation Sports International, who heads up the companies agency work in the soccer industry, talks to Simon Evans of The Soccer Business about the history of Jay Z's company, their move into soccer and their new plans to enter the domestic American soccer business. Chapters 00:00 Michael Yormach's Journey in Sports Management 03:53 Transitioning from NHL to European Soccer 08:41 Roc Nation's Unique Approach to Athlete Representation 11:49 Building Brands Beyond the Field 15:56 Navigating the European Soccer Landscape 19:22 Expanding into Brazil and Africa 22:00 Talent Scouting and Recruitment Strategies 25:01 The Challenge of American Soccer Representation 31:21 The Future of Soccer in America 37:43 Hash Out

Brett Johnson isn't just another American investor in English football - he is also building soccer in the USA with his USL club Rhode Island FC and their brand new stadium. Having cut his teeth in Phoenix, a friendship with former Ipswich player Frank Yallop led to his move into English football where he has tasted two promotions and a relegation. Find out Brett's views on Ipswich, the USL and the future of American club soccer. Chapters 00:00 Investing in Soccer: A Dual Approach 02:04 The Rise of USL: Opportunities and Challenges 07:37 Building a Soccer Community: The Rhode Island Project 11:19 Stadiums and Surrounding Development: A New Era 16:47 Promotion and Relegation: The Future of USL 22:12 Quality Over Quantity: Rethinking Stadium Standards 27:48 The Multi-Club Ownership Model: A New Strategy 35:34 Youth Soccer: Investing in the Future 37:12 The World Cup Effect: A Bright Future for Soccer in the US In this episode of the Soccer Business Podcast, host Simon Evans sits down with Brett Johnson, a unique figure in the soccer investment landscape. Brett Johnson has made significant strides in both American and English soccer, investing in clubs across different levels. His journey began over a decade ago in Phoenix, where he acquired a Division III club, Arizona United, and transformed it into Phoenix Rising. This venture was marked by the recruitment of notable figures like Didier Drogba, who joined the ownership group and played for the team. Brett's passion for soccer extends beyond the US, as he has also invested in Ipswich Town in England. His love for English football, where he spent a significant part of his life, drives his belief that true soccer investment must include a presence in England. Brett's approach to soccer investment is not just about owning clubs but also about creating sustainable models that integrate stadiums with surrounding real estate developments. This strategy has been successfully implemented in Rhode Island, where he has developed a $140 million stadium, transforming it into a vibrant live-work-play destination. Throughout the episode, Brett shares insights into the challenges and opportunities within the USL and MLS landscapes, emphasizing the importance of quality over quantity in stadium development and the potential of USL as a premier development league. His vision for the future includes leveraging the USL's strengths to attract international talent and investment, positioning it as a key player in the global soccer ecosystem. Brett's story is one of innovation, passion, and a deep commitment to the growth of soccer both in the United States and abroad.  

USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis reveals how the league is in talks with over 70 cities in the USA about building new soccer stadiums and bringing new clubs to communities across the country. Takeaways There's real momentum in the USL. The USL's approach to stadium development is unique. City partnerships are crucial for stadium financing. Stadiums are seen as community assets by cities. The fan experience is central to stadium design. Financing stadiums involves complex political and economic factors. The scale of stadium projects varies across USL. New stadiums can significantly increase revenue for clubs. Media presentation is vital for attracting viewers. Investor interest in USL is growing rapidly. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to USL Stadium Developments 02:48 The Unique USL Approach to Stadium Building 05:51 City Partnerships and Economic Impact 09:10 Fan Experience and Entertainment Districts 12:00 Financing and Municipal Support for Stadiums 14:51 The Scale of Stadium Projects in USL 17:58 The Economics of Soccer Venues 20:55 Revenue Streams and Future Growth 24:00 Media Presentation and Broadcast Quality 26:50 Regional Development and Market Trends 30:06 Investor Interest in USL 32:58 The Future of Soccer in America  

La Liga's attempt top play the first ever European league regular season game in the USA was given a boost this week when the Spanish federation backed their plan. But many hurdles remain before this plan can become reality with Real Madrid and others opposed and UEFA, CONCACAF, US Soccer and FIFA having to approve.   We look in detail at Javier Tebas' plans and the motivation for it with ESPN's Spain Correspondent Sam Marsden.

Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United and England defender turned pundit and broadcaster recently left his role with TNT Sport in the UK to focus fully on his own content production and the rest of his business portfolio. Rio talks to Simon Evans about his new plans for his video content business, his role as an agent, the future for American soccer, the nature of the soccer business from a player's perspective and his advice for players planning their post-playing career options. It's an interview jam-packed with insight and perspective from one of the leading voices of Premier League and Champions League soccer coverage and one of the early adopters of the 'player as brand' approach.

Simon and Alex Silverman of the Sports Business Journal were in Austin this week for the MLS Board of Governor's meeting and other business events around the All Star Game and they break-down the main takeaways in this pod. Find out about how MLS's relationship with Apple is 'evolving' - the calendar realignment progress, the looming CBA talks, competition format changes and much more in this in-depth episode.

Xavier Sanchez, the Commercial Director of Liga MX club Monterrey, joins the podcast to discuss his club's strategy in the U.S. market. Discover how Monterrey has thousands of fans in the USA including some who have little connection to Mexico but have developed a deep passion for the Rayados. Learn how the club connects with these fans throughout the season. Xavier also gives his thoughts in Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup and the Club World Cup and how international competition helps boost his club's profile internationally.

This week's guest is Olek Loewenstein is President of Global Sports at TelevisaUnivision, the world's leading Spanish-language media company. In our conversation, Olek talks about how his company approach soccer coverage and content for the Hispanic market; the changing habits of the viewer; the modern fan's loyalties and where non-Hispanic brands can get it wrong. Plus some early insights into how the Club World Cup performed among Spanish language viewers.

In our first Soccer Business 'News Focus' episode Jonathan Tannenwald, soccer correspondent with the Philadelphia Inquirer, joins Simon to discuss the opening week of the Club World Cup from a business point of view. We look at attendances, ticket-prices, marketing and the cultural impact of the tournament.

Multi Club Ownership (MCO) is in the news because of the situation involving Crystal Palace and Lyon who are both owned by American John Textor. UEFA is currently evaluating how to proceed given that both clubs qualified for the Europa League for next season and regulations forbid two teams with the same owner from playing in the same competition. Brian Anderson of Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles has deep knowledge of MCO set-ups and he joins the podcast to go over the issues. Brian also digs into the pros and cons of MCO in general and we look at how the model might work better for the women's game.

Leading expert on streaming Dan Rayburn brings his sharp analysis to dissect the MLS deal with Apple - is it working and will it last the full 10 years? In this wide-ranging, deep dive we also look at soccer on ESPN+, Paramount+ and ask whether the fans of the game are being well served and what the future may be for soccer streaming in the USA?

MLS is 30 years old - how did it go from an idea after the 1994 World Cup to become the 30-team league it is today? Norm O'Reilly, co-author of a new book 'The Rise of Major League Soccer - Building a Global Giant' joins Simon to examine the growth of the league through difficult early years to the recent boom in valuations and the arrival of Lionel Messi. Where does MLS go from here? Can it really become a top three league in the world? 

Canadian Soccer Business, which handles the commercial rights for the Canadian men and women's teams, along with the Canadian Premier League and runs the One Soccer broadcast platform have appointed James Johnson, the CEO of Football Australia, as their new chief executive. Fresh of the announcement of his appointment, James talked to Simon Evans and The Soccer Business Podcast about his vision for the future of Canada's main soccer properties.

Dave Checketts is a sports business titan. He has served in C-suite roles or been an owner of the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Liberty, Madison Square Garden (MSG), Legends Hospitality and the St. Louis Blues. Checketts founded MLS's Real Salt Lake. He has extensive experience in private equity sports investment and is a director of Premier League club Burnley. He recently launched a $1.2 billion fund with the Eccles Family called the Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital Fund.