April 23, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
The Force is with MLS on Stars Wars promotion
There might be some strangely dressed people walking around MLS stadiums on May 4. Three teams -- the Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles Galaxy -- are doing special Star Wars-themed promotions.
April 16, 2013 BIG COMMITMENT
NBC's EPL coverage to include all games
After acquiring the rights to the English Premier League starting next season for a reported $250 million, NBC Sports Group has made a major commitment to airing the games from England's top flight.
March 27, 2013 MOST WATCHED
USA-Mexico sets qualifying record for ESPN
BRISTOL, Conn.---Tuesday night’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Mexico and the United States – a hard-fought 0-0 tie at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City – was seen by an average 2.385 million viewers and 1.644 million households based on a 1.4 U.S. household rating (1.7 coverage rating).
March 14, 2013 NO LONGER FOR SALE
AEG off the market, Tim Leiweke leaving
Anschutz Entertainment Group, parent company of the Los Angeles Galaxy, is no longer for sale, and Tim Leiweke is out as the company's Chief Executive.
March 6, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
ESPN inks new deal with Liga MX
ESPN has reached a multimedia rights extension with Azteca América to air Liga MX and Copa MX matches in the United States through 2015.
March 4, 2013 NEW NAME
Home Depot Center to become StubHub Center
The Home Depot Center is getting a new name. Ticket marketer StubHub will become the new naming rights partner of the 125-acre multi-sport facility starting in June. The home of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA will be the ‘StubHub Center’, making it the first ever naming rights partnership for a ticketing company.
February 25, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
Brazilian boost for Orlando City, Sounders FC adds MatchPass benefit
Orlando City SC might have taken a big step toward getting a Major League Soccer expansion franchise last week, with the announcement that Brazilian businessman Flávio Augusto da Silva has made a major investment in the club.
February 13, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
MLS wants to sell you more jerseys
Major League Soccer wants to sell you more replica jerseys, and is rolling out an annual program aimed at doing just that.
February 11, 2013 EXPANDED AGREEMENT
FOX Soccer will carry more CONCACAF events
MIAMI - The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football announced an expanded agreement with FOX Soccer that will add five more CONCACAF competitions to the broadcaster’s lineup in the United States.
February 4, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
Recycling the shirt in Houston
The Houston Dynamo are going through a bit of a recycling process with their jersey. The team and Greenstar Recycling have reached an agreement to end the sponsorship in the wake of the company's sale to Waste Management, Inc.
January 30, 2013 BROADCAST DEAL
ESPN to carry Mexico games in English
BRISTOL, Conn---ESPN has worked out an arrangement with Univision to carry Mexican National Team games in English.
January 28, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
Small market RSL get short end of TV exposure
Major League Soccer may be a single entity, sharing most things equally, but that certainly does not apply to appearances on television.
January 24, 2013 TURNING THINGS OVER
Checketts sells stake in RSL
Real Salt Lake founder Dave Checketts has sold his controlling interest in the Major League Soccer team, Rio Tinto Stadium and ESPN/700 Sports Talk Radio to Utah real estate developer Dell Loy Hansen.
January 23, 2013 RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Manning pulls it together for RSL
If there really is a recipe for running a successful Major League Soccer team, it may have three key ingredients---a new stadium, a winning product on the field, and a strong management team. Just ask Real Salt Lake President Bill Manning.
January 16, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
Livestrong no more, naming deal terminated
Livestrong Sporting Park is no more. The unique naming rights agreement between Sporting Kansas City and disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong’s cancer foundation has been terminated. The stadium, at least for now, will be called Sporting Park.
January 14, 2013 SOCCER BUSINESS
Florida courting MLS teams for Spring Training
The arrival of baseball teams in the Sunshine State – and, more importantly, the annual arrival of their fans -- is an economic development engine for Florida, with more than 1.5 million fans attending spring training games annually. Now the state wants to do the same thing, albeit on a smaller scale, with Major League Soccer spring training.
December 3, 2012 SOCCER BUSINESS
UMBRO sale completed, USL adds sponsor, Sacramento expansion team
Nike has completed its sale of iconic soccer brand UMBRO to Iconix Brand Group, Inc for $225 million in cash, considerably less than the $582 million the company paid in 2008.
November 27, 2012 SOCCER BUSINESS
Traffic gets Gold Cup, Champions League rights
NEW YORK---CONCACAF has awarded the commercial partnership rights to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2013/14 and 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League tournaments to Traffic Sports.
October 30, 2012 10-YEAR DEAL
CONCACAF, Univision Deportes strike multi-year agreement
NEW YORK – CONCACAF and Univision Deportes announced Monday the signing of a partnership agreement to broadcast its matches in the United States.
October 28, 2012 SOCCER BUSINESS
NBC Sports to air Premier League
NBC Sports Group, has acquired the exclusive U.S. media rights to the Premier League through a multi-year agreement that begins with the 2013-14 season. NBC won the rights from incumbents Fox Soccer Channel and ESPN. The deal is reportedly for three years and $250 million.
