The Business of Soccer, a new event from Sports Business Journal and sister company Leaders in Sport, which took place March 19-20 in Los Angeles and was presented by MLS and Concacaf, offered a look at the sport through the lens of the coming 2026 FIFA World Cup and across the industry from athletes to leagues, teams, media and sponsors.
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The Business of Soccer Monarch Collective Managing Partner
Kara Nortman, a co-founder of Angel
City FC, said that regardless of whether
a women’s team stands on its own or
shares ownership with a men’s team, it’s
important that it have “an independent
spirit.” Nortman spoke on the panel
moderated by CBS Sports’ Jenny Chiu
and featuring Google’s Julia Cheney,
IMG’s Hillary Mandel and Mauricio
Culebro Galván of Club Tigres. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer SeatGeek’s Robyn Theodorakis described how the company is working with teams to personalize the ticket purchasing experience for fans and bundling more services, such as parking and wayfinding throughout the venue. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer The rocky relationships among the host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup were among the topics fielded by moderator Fernando Palomo of ESPN; Peter Montopoli, chief tournament officer, FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada; U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson; and Jurgen Mainka, chief tournament officer, FIFA World Cup 2026 Mexico. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Ares Management co-founder Bennett
Rosenthal, the lead managing owner of LAFC, explained how the club’s sponsorship portfolio now generates some $50 million annually. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer MLS Commissioner Don Garber (right) and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani both emphasized that success on the pitch, whether for the U.S. men’s team or other Concacaf members,
would be the biggest way to sustain success for the sport. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Former MLS and U.S. men’s national team player and current Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas (right), appearing on a panel with Nashville SC’s Ian Ayre and AEG’s Dan Beckerman, said the U.S. has
an opportunity with the World Cup in 2026 to show “what we have become as a soccer-playing nation.” (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Two-time World Cup champion
Kelley O’Hara discussed her involvement in the the new 7-on-7 women’s soccer
competition, World Sevens Football,
that launches in May. (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Catching Up: Warren Low and Nilo G.
Low of Kapture and Nuvia Guzman and Derek Aframe of Octagon (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Catching Up: Stats Perform’s Alex Roberts and Matthieu Lille-Palette (Tony Florez)
The Business of Soccer Catching Up: Former LA28 CEO and MLS SUM President Kathy Carter, MLS Chief
Communications Officer Dan Courtemanche and Playfly Premier
Partnerships Chairman Alan Rothenberg (Tony Florez)
