According to Showbuzz Daily, the 2018 MLS Cup Final averaged 1.5 million viewers on FOX, making it the second-most-watched final in league history behind MLS Cup ’97 (which garnered an audience of 2.2 million people thirsting for Marcelo Balboa). Atlanta United beat Portland 2-0 in front of a record crowd for an MLS match on Saturday.
This is the best. This is just the best. After a year dictated by the scummy musings of Anthony Precourt and the Columbus Crew moving to Austin, we finally saw the fruits of the #SaveTheCrew movement and the long-term vision of soon-to-be owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam (the owners of the Cleveland Browns) today. The Crew buyers are pledging an investment of $645 million in the club, a gobsmacking total which includes the cost of a $230 million stadium in Columbus’ downtown Arena District.
Inter Miami is still about 16 months from playing its first match in Major League Soccer but has been one of most drawn-out sagas in U.S. soccer history. It even makes this epic search for a new USMNT coach seem simple and short. However, the last 12 months have finally given the club a full ownership group, an official name, a crest and colors.
Just in time for the Major League Soccer playoffs to take a two-week break, Forbes released its list of most valuable MLS teams on Wednesday, and there’s a new team at the top.
The LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders were No. 1 and No. 2 in Forbes’ ranking of most valuable MLS teams in 2017. This season, one of the new kids on the block bumped them from their perch.
The Seattle Sounders 2018 MLS campaign came to a cruel end on Thursday night. Not just because it was via their rivals the Portland Timbers. Not just because it came through penalties after an incredible 4-4 aggregate score across two legs. Not just because they were forced to play most of the two legs without two of their best players, Chad Marshall and Christian Roldan, lost early in leg one to injury.
Did you get your tickets for the Women’s World Cup semifinals and final in France? If not, you might be out of luck. Women's World Cup ticket sales have been through the roof, with the pack including the semifinals and final having already sold out shortly after going on sale.
Real Madrid won its third straight Champions League in 2018. For once, Los Blancos also topped the charts in Champions League revenue.
UEFA released the 2017-18 Champions League revenue (and Europa League, if anyone cares) on Thursday. For the first time during Real Madrid’s impressive back-to-back-to-back UCL championships, the club also won the most prize money.
UEFA doled out $1.605 billion in Champions League revenue, an increase over the $1.5 billion it gave out in 2016-17. Real Madrid took home $100.8 million of it.
As reported by The Guardian’s David Conn, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has submitted a proposal for a revamped Club World Cup that would, like the Champions League, feature multiple Premier League and top European sides annually. According to the article, there will be two proposals considered by the FIFA Council during a meeting on Wednesday in Rwanda, and UEFA is none too enthralled by the second one:
The same week the USWNT booked its trip to the tournament next summer, 2019 Women's World Cup tickets went on sale on Friday.
Last October, FIFA announced the 2018 men’s World Cup would dole out $400 million in prize money. This October, FIFA announced the 2019 women's World Cup prize money would also increase its prize money substantially — but not nearly enough.
From the 2014 to the 2018 World Cups, FIFA increased the men’s payouts by $42 million to a cool $400 million, with France receiving $38 million as World Cup champion.