IN THIS ISSUE
📰 Sponsor Pathway: 10,000 soccer fans can’t be wrong
⚽️ Soccer Jobs: 20 new roles
🔥 Career Tips: The fire was already crackling
👀 Extra Extra: 8 teenagers debut for USMNT
REACH 10,000 READERS
Every Wednesday, this newsletter lands in front of almost 10,000 people who are part of the American soccer industry.
Our subscribers include employees who work at 29 of 30 MLS clubs, 14 of 16 NWSL clubs, 40+ USL clubs, as well as U.S. Soccer, FIFA, the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, ESPN, CBS, DAZN, NBC, and hundreds of other clubs and companies impacting the soccer industry in America.
Readers open each issue at a 68% clip - and you can now reach them every week.
We've opened up a handful of ad spots:
Presenting Sponsor: Banner placement at the very top of the email
Featured Job: Your role at the top of the jobs section with your logo, a short write-up, and a direct apply link
Social Amplification: A featured job placement, plus posts on my LinkedIn and X (40k combined followers)
See options and pricing here →
And if you want to know more, drop me a line: [email protected]
-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO
NEW SOCCER JOBS
- VP, Content Strategy - NWSL
- Head of Medical - KC Current
- Senior Manager, Creative - MLS
- Sr Manager, Paid Media - LA Galaxy
- Director, People & Engagement - MLS
- Chief Revenue Officer - Angel City FC
- Senior Director, High Performance - NWSL
- Director, Partnership Sales - D.C. United
- Head of Rehabilitation - San Diego Wave FC
- Senior Director, Partnership Sales - Bay FC
- Senior Director, Revenue - Carolina Core FC
- Senior Manager, Growth Marketing - Gotham FC
- Senior Sport & Data Scientist - Philadelphia Union
- Vice President, Ticket Sales & Service - KC Current
- Sr Director, Digital Marketing & Product - LA Galaxy
- VP, Corporate Partnership Sales - Forward Madison FC
- SVP, International Relations - U.S. Soccer Federation
- Senior Manager, Corporate Communications - U.S. Soccer Federation
- Sr. Manager, Corporate Partnership Development - Chicago Stars FC
- Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations - Minnesota Aurora FC
🔥 CAREER TIP: THE FIRE WAS ALREADY CRACKLING
Here's a number worth thinking about:
MLS valuations have grown 220% in the eight years since North America was awarded the World Cup.
Expansion fees jumped from $70 million to $500 million in that time.
And here's the part that matters most:
That growth didn't come from the World Cup hype.
WHY THIS MATTERS
It's tempting to look at everything happening in American soccer right now and credit this summer’s tournament (and many folks outside of the industry are).
But the numbers tell a different story.
That 220% growth happened over eight years, long before a single ball was kicked this summer.
It came from soccer's steady rise in America.
More fans
More youth players
More teams in more markets
More access to the global game
More high-profile players coming to the U.S.
And, yes, more Messi 🐐
The World Cup poured fuel on a fire that was already crackling.
WHY THIS CHANGES HOW YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE INDUSTRY
This distinction matters for anyone building a career in soccer.
If you believe the growth is about the World Cup, you might assume the momentum fades now that the tournament is over.
If you understand the growth is structural, you'll see the truth.
The forces driving soccer's rise in America were building for years before this summer, and they're still building now.
Soccer-specific stadiums continue to be built
Expansion means more markets have top tier soccer
New owners are being more aggressive in signing players
Valuations keep rising because the underlying business keeps growing
The World Cup accelerated all of it, but it didn't create any of it.
What’s the next big unlock for MLS?
Two things.
Next year, the League will align with the European schedule with the season running from July to May rather than February to November.
What does MLS do with its television rights after the Apple TV deal ends in 2029 (3.5 years early, by the way)?
Those are the two things that will have the biggest impact on growth over the next 5-10 years.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR VIEW OF THE OPPORTUNITY
Club valuations growing 220% over 8 years, and still accelerating, is a long-term shift. It’s an indicator of belief - in the sport, in the league, in each club.
That's the kind of environment where careers get built, where organizations expand, and where new roles get created that didn't exist a few years ago.
The people who recognize that this is a compounding, multi-year rise, rather than a one-summer moment, will make smarter decisions about where to invest their time and energy.
They'll build for the roadmap, not the one-off.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
The World Cup was the accelerant. The growth underneath it has been building for years, and it's not slowing down.
It should serve as a reminder that if you want to work in the industry and haven’t been able to find your spot to keep going. There will only be more opportunities in the years to come.
👉 This week, do a deep dive on club valuations in both MLS and the NWSL to better understand the growth that’s happening:
The fire was already crackling.
This summer just made it impossible for most to ignore.
-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO
ICYMI: MUST-READ ARTICLES
📰 Extra! Extra! Here are a few quick reads to stay up to date with the latest soccer happenings...
Arthur Blank's NWSL club is Atlanta City FC, launching in 2028 with a phoenix crest and Georgia Peach as its own color [via AJC] - The club worked through roughly 600 names and already holds about 5,000 founding deposits, with first merch on sale at a free launch party this Sunday.
Eight teenagers made their USMNT debuts in a 4-1 win over Peru as Pochettino opened the 2030 cycle with 11 first caps [via ESPN] - Cavan Sullivan started at 16 as the youngest debutant since Freddy Adu, and every U.S. goal involved a first-cap player in front of a 24,228 sellout in Orlando.
Ashley Sanchez tied the NWSL single-season scoring record with her 20th goal [via CBS Sports] - She matched Temwa Chawinga's 2024 mark in the same number of matches (26), and the outright record is on the line Friday in Seattle.
Hany Mukhtar became the 16th player in MLS history to score 100 goals [via MLS] - The brace made Nashville the first team to clinch a 2026 playoff spot and kept GEODIS Park unbeaten at 13-0-1, the only perfect home record in the league.
The Philadelphia Union tied an MLS record with 32 points from their last 12 matches [via MLS] - They went from last in the East before the World Cup break to sixth, and did Saturday's part with three homegrown teenagers away making their USMNT debuts.
ALSO…
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SEE YOU SOON, SOCCER FRIENDS
