Overview
Major League Soccer, armed with its massive Apple sponsorship, the imminent arrival of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the hosting of the COPA America tournament in 2024, and the signing of the game’s GOAT, Lionel Messi, could make MLS one of the world’s biggest leagues and one, within the next five years, capable of keeping credible company with European leagues such as La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga. InThe Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant, experienced sports business experts Rick Burton and Norm O’Reilly dig into the slow but sure growth of Major League Soccer in North America and the advent of major European teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and others attracting huge fan bases in the United States. Additionally, they detail how the MLS is building a global sports entity which is already commanding international attention from rival leagues by prioritizing digital marketing, international media platforms, creative global partnerships, investment in superstar players, and rapid expansion.
Full Product Details
Author: Rick Burton ,
Norm O'Reilly ,
Don Garber, Commissioner, Major League Soccer ,
Mark Abbott, former MLS President and
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Imprint: The Lyons Press
Weight: 0.494kg
ISBN: 9781493086719
ISBN 10: 1493086715
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 06 July 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
""[B]y 2025, MLS had expanded from 10 to 30 teams collectively valued at nearly $20 billion. One reason, suggest Burton and O'Reilly in this exuberant account, is that the young league was hungry enough to take a risk on digital media distribution before its more established competition... But in large part this is the story of the strategic leverage of star power, as celebrity athletes David Beckham and Lionel Messi as well as celebrity owners like Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon would bring MLS into the mainstream.""-- ""Booklist""
Author Information
Rick Burton is the David Falk Distinguished Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University and the author of numerous books including Business the NHL Way: Lessons from the Fastest Game on Ice (written with Norm O’Reilly).He has also written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and SI.com. He lives in Skaneateles, New York. Norm O’Reilly is Dean of the Graduate School of Business at the University of Maine and a Professor of Sport Management & Marketing in the Maine Business School. He has authored or co-authored 16 books. He is a regular columnist for Sports Business Journal and Sportico. He lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
