Business

MLS Makes Austin FC Official, Complete With Start Date Right Around The Corner

Austin FC had a name, a logo and a stadium. Now it’s officially the 27th Major League franchise. As for when will Austin FC start play in MLS, the league announced Tuesday that it will be just in time for its new stadium to open.

Major League Soccer will kick off the 2019 season with 24 teams following the addition of FC Cincinnati. Inter Miami and Nashville will join in 2020. The following year, it’ll be all about Austin.

Recent Study Reveals The 25 Most Valuable Players In Europe

Since 2013, the CIES Football Observatory has annually been releasing a list of the top 100 valued footballers from Europe’s “Big-5” leagues. It’s a fascinating concept because rather than just saying “Messi is the best, he’s No. 1. Ronaldo is second-best, he’s No.

The 10 Most Expensive Jersey Sponsorship Deals In World Football

The values of the biggest clubs in soccer have skyrocketed over the last five years, thanks in large part to revenue growth. A large portion of this revenue comes from the most expensive shirt sponsorship deals in all of sports, and it should come as no surprise that the three clubs with the largest jersey sponsorship deals also constitute the three most valuable soccer teams in the world.

The list is largely dominated by English Premier League sides and the Dubai-based airline Emirates, both obvious signs of the time. 

The Startling Numbers Behind Premier League Money Sources — And Where They Spend It

They say money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you the existential dread of being a football fan, if these English Premier League cash figures are any indication. 

It’s not hard to figure out that the Premier League is the best in the world at generating and spending money. And while it’s also not hard to argue that other leagues or teams are better on the pitch, when it comes to finances, there’s only one king.

Where To Spend Your Christmas Money — EPL Transfer Guide

What is cloudy, expensive and exciting?

The European transfer window! So stop wallowing in your post-summertime sadness, Lana Del Rey. Instead, get your calculator out, order a screen-protector and a coffee and start following daily transfer stories. Yes, they occur every day throughout January.

 

Why Netflix's 'Sunderland 'Til I Die' Is A Prime Example Of The Difficulty Playing In Lower Leagues

Sunderland AFC wrapped up its thirteenth win of the League One season against Bradford City on Wednesday. Currently sitting in third, Sunderland is aiming to gain promotion back into the Championship after being relegated last season.

FIFA Says Half The World Watched The 2018 World Cup; Here’s What That Actually Means

The numbers are in — and they’re quite impressive. Those wondering how many people watch World Cup matches have their answers: about half the world’s population.

The 2018 World Cup in Russia was a thrilling month-long ode to the world’s game. About five months after France lifted the World Cup in Moscow, FIFA released the complete TV viewership numbers on Friday.

In all, FIFA said 51.3 percent of the world’s population watched the World Cup at some point. 

Future MLS Club Austin FC Gets Cushy $225M Privately Funded Stadium Deal

While most of Texas was focused on national signing day for college football, another sport made big news in Austin, the largest U.S. city without a top-level professional sports team. The city of Austin and Precourt Sports Ventures announced a landmark $225 million Austin FC stadium deal on Wednesday morning.

Lionel Messi Commercial Named Best Ad Of Year By YouTube

In a case of voters once again getting it all wrong, Lionel Messi finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or voting earlier this week. But Messi won another award this week that might actually be more valuable than a record sixth trophy for being the world’s best player. 

On Thursday, The YouTube Ad of the Year Awards (yeah, that’s a thing), honored Messi’s Gatorade commercial “Heart of a Lio” as the best ad of the year.

Renderings Of The Crew’s New Downtown Stadium Have Arrived, And Hell Yeah

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. 

Pages