Messi, Chelsea, Netflix and Vegas - The Soccer Business News Review

Messi, Chelsea, Netflix and Vegas - The Soccer Business News Review

Author: Simon Evans April 21, 2026 Duration: 24:00
Lionel Messi buys a club in Spain. A plan for a new soccer stadium in Vegas? Netflix move into North American soccer, Chelsea's heavy losses and those transport prices for the World Cup in New York/New Jersey. Simon Evans and Andre Da Costa break down this week's headlines in soccer business.

Simon Evans brings his deep knowledge of the sports industry to The Soccer Business Podcast, a series dedicated to the intricate and rapidly evolving commercial landscape of soccer in North America. Each episode features conversations with prominent personalities and key players who are shaping the game off the pitch. You'll hear candid discussions that go beyond the headlines, delving into the real-world strategies of club-building, league expansion, and major infrastructure projects like new stadiums. The dialogue consistently explores the critical financial engines of the sport: sponsorship deals, marketing innovations, and the flow of investment that determines which clubs thrive. This isn't just about scores and transfers; it's a clear-eyed examination of how business decisions made in boardrooms directly impact the sport we watch on the field. For anyone curious about the economic forces and ambitious personalities driving soccer's growth across the continent, this podcast offers essential listening. Evans guides these complex topics with a journalist's insight, making each interview both informative and engaging for fans and professionals alike.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Soccer Business Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Sunil Gulati on American soccer past, present and future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:03
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 admini…
Michael Yormark of Roc Nation Sports [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:45
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…
Brett Johnson - Ipswich Town and Rhode Island FC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:39
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…
Rio Ferdinand on his Media plans, Agents, and Soccer's Sharks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:38
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 por…
Don Garber's vision for MLS 3.0 - with SBJ's Alex Silverman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:54
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 p…
Liga MX club Monterrey's U.S strategy - with Xavier Sanchez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:49
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 litt…
Why Authenticity Matters - Olek Loewenstein of TelevisaUnivision [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:51
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…