The MLS Players Association exercised an option in 2025 to increase its equity stake in OneTeam Partners by $5.1M, while also making an initial $1M investment in the firm’s global licensing business, OneTeam International. The moves came as the union’s licensing revenue from OneTeam grew 15.6% year over year to $8.2M, according to federal filings.
The MLSPA’s option to purchase additional equity in OneTeam Partners stems from its contribution of commercial rights in 2021. In addition to cash and an initial equity stake, the union received an option to purchase additional equity in OneTeam at the 2021 valuation if it hit certain revenue targets. The MLSPA has now met those revenue targets and exercised its option.
In addition to the uptick in licensing revenue, the MLSPA received more than $1.1M in dividend income from OneTeam for the first time in 2025.
A union spokesperson confirmed the investments shown on the union’s LM-2 filing “reflect exercising an option to increase MLSPA’s ownership share in OneTeam Partners, as well as an equity investment in OneTeam International.” OneTeam declined to comment on the MLSPA’s investments.
MLSPA Exec Dir Bob Foose, who has led the union since its founding in 2003, serves as a rotating member of OneTeam’s board of directors. He told SBJ in 2022 that the association had taken an equity stake in the business, but it is unknown how much equity the union had in OneTeam prior to last year’s investment.
OneTeam manages the commercial rights of several professional sports unions, including the MLBPA, MLSPA, NFLPA, WNBPA and others.
The union’s reported $13.1M in total receipts last year, reflecting a 22.5% annual increase driven largely by increased commercial revenue and dividend income from OneTeam. Total assets rose 35% to $32.6M, which the spokesperson attributed to commercial growth and the additional investment.
Foose earned $562,000 in 2025, an increase of 5.6% from the prior year. The union’s next highest-paid executives in 2025 were COO Dan Jones ($366,000) and General Counsel Eric Harrington ($325,000).
