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MLS Appoints Larry Berg as Next Commissioner

Major League Soccer announced Larry Berg, longtime LAFC co-managing owner, will become the league’s next commissioner on January 1, 2027, with current commissioner Don Garber moving into the role of chairman. Berg inherits a critical upcoming media-rights decision: what follows MLS’s Apple TV agreement when it expires after the 2028–29 season (shortened to 2029). Reports suggest MLS could target $400M–$500M annually in the next cycle, up from the Apple deal that was valued at roughly $2.5 billion over 10 years (~$250M/year). Berg’s LAFC experience — including a 2018 local-broadcast partnership with YouTube TV — gives him exposure to streaming-first distribution as the league evaluates options ranging from continued streaming focus to hybrid or broader traditional-TV distribution.

Marketers Cite Preparation at Adweek Sports Summit

At the ADWEEK House: Sports Summit in New York, marketing leaders discussed how advance preparation enables brands to capitalize on major sports moments like the FIFA World Cup 2026. Panelists from Translation, Sequel, Major League Soccer, Breakaway and Gotham FC explained tactics including early coordination with rights-holders and broadcasters, staging venue activations to ride tournament buzz, and pre-building content workflows (example: Beats' 72-hour roundtable during the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend that later produced The Shop). Examples included MLS working with FIFA and Fox Sports to set up World Cup viewing parties and Gotham FC partnering with Citi Field to set an NWSL attendance record by leveraging World Cup energy.

MLS Launches Biggest Coordinated Marketing Campaign

Major League Soccer launched its largest coordinated marketing campaign, "Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here," on July 13, 2026, timed to the World Cup semifinals and the league’s July 16–17 season return. The national effort uses an Amazon Music Original cover of "Can I Kick It?" (produced by DJ Premier and sung by Samara Cyn) and spotlights global icons, celebrity club owners and MLS stars including Lionel Messi. It runs across broadcast, streaming, digital, social, out-of-home and local club activations; 15 clubs shot and deployed localized creative in January and 22 clubs are offering a "First Match On Us" free‑ticket program with digital follow-up to drive conversion. MLS built an 18‑month media‑mix model with Ipsos to attribute channel impact and is preparing an 18‑month calendar‑alignment push as it transitions to a fall‑to‑spring schedule beginning February 2027. CMO Radhika Duggal stresses consistent, data‑driven week‑to‑week engagement to turn awareness into lasting fandom.