IN THIS ISSUE

INTRODUCTION

How can you not be excited about the USMNT right now?

In their first window since the World Cup, the U.S. beat Peru 4-1, Chile 4-2, Mexico 3-0 (!!), and Canada 1-0. Four games, four wins.

In the most impressive win of the window, Julian Hall, Cavan Sullivan and Malik Tillman each scored against Mexico. Sullivan's goal made him the youngest scorer in USMNT history, a record Mathis Albert had set against Peru only four days earlier.

Fans are coming along for the ride. A new Morning Consult poll for Bloomberg found that 46% of Americans now call themselves soccer fans. That's up 10 points since the World Cup and ahead of the NHL. Among Gen Z, it's up 16 points. MLS says ticket sales and viewership have grown since the tournament, and youth participation in MLS-affiliated programs is up about 40%.

Every one of the young U.S players came through a system that has been built over decades. Academy directors, scouts, performance staff, player care, agents and even content teams all had a hand in that build. Now the fan base is growing at the same time as the talent pool, and that's how more jobs get created off the field.

The math is simple - more fans equals more revenue. More revenue equals job opportunities. It’s a good time to be in the soccer industry and it’s only getting better.

This week's roles are below. 🇺🇸

-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO

NEW SOCCER JOBS

Throw your hat in the ring if one of these jobs is right for you. You can’t land the gig if you don’t apply.

Women's soccer has me (very) excited.

And the reason is simple.

It reminds me of what I experienced in MLS twenty years ago.

That feeling right before something takes off. When the signs are all there, the momentum is building, and most people haven't fully clocked it yet.

Said another way: I've seen this movie before, and I know how it ends.

Twenty years ago, MLS was a league a lot of people underestimated.

The infrastructure was still being built.

The fan bases were still forming.

The investment was still early.

(If you don’t believe me, look up what the expansion fee was for Toronto FC in 2007)

And the people who got involved back then, who saw where it was heading before it was obvious, built careers that grew right alongside the league.

Women's soccer in the U.S. is giving off that exact same energy right now.

Yes, the women's game is still lagging in some other parts of the world.

But it's catching up faster than most people realize.

Here in the U.S., women's soccer has already grown massively over the last few years. And the runway ahead is incredible:

That's a multi-year buildup toward some of the biggest stages in the sport, with the women's game right at the center of it.

Some brands and organizations are still overlooking the women's game.

That's a mistake…and it's also your opening.

When part of an industry is being underestimated, that's usually where the most room to make an impact is.

Less competition.

More space to build something.

A chance to grow as the game grows.

Here's how to think about getting involved:

The best time to build fluency in the women's game is right now, while it's still early enough that expertise stands out.

Follow the NWSL closely.

If you don’t already, get to know the clubs, the players, the storylines.

It’s not difficult to do:

You have to dig in if you want to understand how the women's game connects with its audience differently than the men's (and it’s very different).

"Women's soccer" is broad, but your opportunity is specific.

Content. Partnerships. Community. Operations. Data.

Figure out where your skills meet the growth, and go deep there.

UNDERRATED HACK: Most clubs include their front office staff on their website. Search for the public profiles of the staff in your area of interest - find them on Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn and follow them.

You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

Growing areas of an industry don't need people who just want to be part of the moment.

They need people who can actually help build it.

Ask what problem you can solve for an organization in the women's game, and lead with that.

Like any business, it’s about where you can add value - not where you can add your passion and interest.

When something is about to take off, the people who position themselves early are the ones who ride it the furthest.

I felt this with MLS twenty years ago.

I feel it with the women's game right now.

👉 This week, pick one women's soccer organization and get to know it deeply. Its work, its fans, its trajectory.

Start building your fluency before everyone else catches on.

The momentum is building.

Now is the time to get involved.

-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO

ICYMI: MUST-READ ARTICLES

📰 Extra! Extra! Here are a few of the latest soccer industry tidbits to be sure you’re up to speed this week:

ALSO…

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SEE YOU SOON, SOCCER FRIENDS