The Rise of Major League Soccer (2025) [/]
May 11 2026
The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant by scholars Rick Burton and Norm O'Reilly is really a book about why business people should invest in MLS either directly, partnerships, or ad support.
The authors sort of cover the history of MLS from the 1994 FIFA World Cup which was held in the USA, through the founding of the MLS in 1996, through almost folding in 2010 or so, to its partnership with Apple, Lionel Messi, and the coming World Cup in 2026.
Chapters
As you can see from the chapter titles this is not very chronological and is mostly about why MLS is still a growth sport that is now the 5th major sport in the USA and may possibly catch up and be top 4 or even top 3.
The chapters are short and all include one or two Expert opinions or anecdotes that run several pages. I think I read the whole thing in about six hours over three days so it was interesting enough to kind of keep at it.
Still this is not a book for fans so I wouldn't recommend it.
The authors sort of cover the history of MLS from the 1994 FIFA World Cup which was held in the USA, through the founding of the MLS in 1996, through almost folding in 2010 or so, to its partnership with Apple, Lionel Messi, and the coming World Cup in 2026.
Chapters
- Conquering the World: The Rise of MLS
- Soccer is Big Business: So is MLS
- Don Garber: Growth-Oriented Leadership
- How MLS Altered the Failure Trend in North America
- How the 1994 FIFA World Cup Shaped MLS
- MLS and David Beckham: Why an Englishman's Arrival Tipped the Scales
- MLS in Miami: How Lionel Messi made Inter Miami a Global Brand
- MLS Expansion: The When, Where, and Why of MLS Growth
- COPA 2024, FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA World Cup 2026, and the LA 2028 Summer Olympics: What They Will Mean to MLS
- MLS: The Diversity Advantage
- How Toronto Became an MLS Stronghold
- Ted Lasso, Ryan Reynolds, and EA Sports F: How Celebrities and Video Games Continue Lifting MLS
- Tech Cities, Tech Teams, Tech Stadiums: How Technology is Reshaping MLS's Relevance
- Predicting MLS's Future
As you can see from the chapter titles this is not very chronological and is mostly about why MLS is still a growth sport that is now the 5th major sport in the USA and may possibly catch up and be top 4 or even top 3.
The chapters are short and all include one or two Expert opinions or anecdotes that run several pages. I think I read the whole thing in about six hours over three days so it was interesting enough to kind of keep at it.
Still this is not a book for fans so I wouldn't recommend it.