SPOTLIGHT ON MLS
APRIL 2021 Governance structures at national association level CIES SPORTS INTELLIGENCE
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3 Governance structures at national association level METHODOLOGY
The 'Spotlight on MLS' report provides a comprehen- sis, club-trained players are considered as those having sive analysis on the evolution and current status of Major spent at least two consecutive years in the club’s acade- League Soccer as the North American top-tier division my before eventually joining the club’s first team. gets ready to kick-off its 26th season. The study com- bines off-the-pitch and on-the-pitch data and statis- All values for the section on player salaries are sourced tics to deliver a detailed snapshot of the MLS, both at from the official reports published by the MLS Player league and individual club level. The report is structured Association (MLSPA) and refer to a player’s Annualized across six main areas of analysis: Average Guaranteed Compensation. As stated by the MLSPA, ‘the Annualized Average Guarantee Compen- - The league’s expansion since 1996; sation (Guaranteed comp) includes a player's base sa- - The league’s club ownership landscape; lary and all signing and guaranteed bonuses annualized - MLS stadia and average attendances; over the term of the player's contract, including option - Player recruitment strategies of MLS clubs; years. The Guaranteed Comp figure also includes any - Player salaries in the MLS; marketing bonus and any agent's fees, both annualized - MLS playing statistics. over the term of the contract. The Average Annual Gua- ranteed Compensation figure does not include Perfor- The report is based on desk research and, with the ex- mance Bonuses because there is no guarantee that the ception of a series of playing statistics provided by the player will hit those bonuses’. CIES Football Observatory, it exclusively relied on publi- cly available information. The main source of data was The playing statistics included in the report are the result represented by official league and club websites, online of CIES Sports Intelligence calculations based on values articles and existing literature. Articles from Forbes.com from the CIES Football Observatory and integrated with were used to collect data on the valuation of clubs or the additional data from FBref. Domestic players are consi- estimated net worth of club owners. Data has been last dered as those born either in the USA or Canada. Player updated on the 12th of April 2021. ages were calculated as the time between a player’s bir- thdate and June 30th of the year in which each season For the sections on stadium attendances, figures were took place. sourced from the data publicly available on OverLap- ping Run and cross-checked with the MLS Fact and The information included in this report has not been ve- Record book. Figures and information on player recruit- rified with primary sources or survey to the associations. ment strategies are the result of CIES analysis based on As such, the authors do not guarantee the full accuracy data from Transfermarkt. For the purposes of the analy- or completeness of the data included in this study.
CLUB ABBREVIATIONS
ATL ATLANTA UNITED FC MIA INTER MIAMI CF PHI PHILADELPHIA UNION
AUS AUSTIN FC LAF LOS ANGELES FC POR PORTLAND TIMBERS
CHA CHARLOTTE FC LAG LOS ANGELES GALAXY RSL REAL SALT LAKE
CHI CHICAGO FIRE FC MIN MINNESOTA UNITED FC SAC SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC
CIN FC CINCINNATI MON CF MONTREAL SJO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
COL COLORADO RAPIDS NAS NASHVILLE SC SEA SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
CLB COLUMBUS CREW SC NER NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION SKC SPORTING KANSAS CITY
DAL FC DALLAS NYC NEW YORK CITY FC STL ST. LOUIS CITY SC
DCU DC UNITED NYR NEW YORK RED BULLS TOR TORONTO FC
HOU HOUSTON DYNAMO FC ORL ORLANDO CITY SC VAN VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
4 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE EXPANSION OF MLS 6 MLS'S OWNERSHIP LANDSCAPE 8 MLS STADIA AND ATTENDANCES 10 PLAYER RECRUITMENT IN MLS 12 MLS AND PLAYER SALARIES 14 MLS PLAYING STATISTICS 16
ATLANTA UNITED FC 18 CHICAGO FIRE FC 20 FC CINCINNATI 22 COLORADO RAPIDS 24 COLUMBUS CREW SC 26 FC DALLAS 28 DC UNITED 30 HOUSTON DYNAMO FC 32 INTER MIAMI CF 34 LOS ANGELES FC 36 LOS ANGELES GALAXY 38 MINNESOTA UNITED FC 40 CF MONTRÉAL 42 NASHVILLE SC 44 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 46 NEW YORK CITY FC 48 NEW YORK RED BULLS 50 ORLANDO CITY SC 52 PHILADELPHIA UNION 54 PORTLAND TIMBERS 56 REAL SALT LAKE 58 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 60 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 62 SPORTING KANSAS CITY 64 TORONTO FC 66 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 68 AUSTIN FC 70 CHARLOTTE FC 70 SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC 71 ST.LOUIS CITY SC 71
AUTHORS: FERNANDO ROITMAN FRANCESCO MARINI
CONTRIBUTORS: KEVIN TALLEC MARSTON ALBERTO BISONI
Enquires to be sent to [email protected]
5 Governance structures at national association level
THE EXPANSION OF MLS
A direct legacy of the 1994 FIFA World partnership with the homonym Mexican Nashville SC) and an additional four Cup in the USA, Major League Soccer team. The league’s 10-year anniversary teams expected to take the field by began as a modest but ambitious enter- saw the first, and so far only, club relo- 2023 (Austin FC, Charlotte SC, St. Louis prise. Alan Rothenberg, then chairman cation in its history, when the San Jose SC and - although the expansion team is of the World Cup organizing committee, Earthquakes franchise was moved to currently on indefinite hold - Sacramento announced the creation of the new top- Houston. Republic). This will bring the total num- flight division on December 17, 1993. Six ber of MLS to thirty - equaling the likes months later, the first seven cities were As MLS courted new markets, its se- of the National Basketball Association selected, followed by an additional three cond decade was uncontestably one of (NBA) and the Major League Baseball in June 1995. The ten charter clubs com- growth. With the exception of the demise (MLB) - in what MLS has admitted to peting in MLS’s debut in 1996 were the of the Chivas USA less than ten years af- being a possible goal of 32 teams in the Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, DC ter its foundation, the league flourished, near future. United, Dallas Burn, Los Angeles Galaxy, reaching a total of twenty teams in 2016 New England Revolution, New York/ with the addition of three Canadian sides MLS’s growth is visible not only in the in- New Jersey MetroStars, San Jose Clash, - Toronto FC, Montreal Impact (now CF creasing number of clubs, but also in the Kansas City Wizards and the Tampa Bay Montréal) and the Vancouver Whitecaps significantly rising fees required to join Mutiny. - the return of the San Jose Earthquakes, the league. The USD 325 million-fee re- the birth of the North-Western powe- portedly agreed by Charlotte FC is more The league, which first expanded in 1998 rhouses Seattle Sounders and Portland than threefold the amount paid by Real with the addition of new teams in Chica- Timbers, and the expansion on the East Salt Lake fifteen years earlier. In the last go and Miami, would see little but signi- Coast with new franchises in Philadel- five years, MLS collected a total of USD ficant changes in size throughout its first phia, New York and Orlando. 1.15 billion in expansion fees with an decade. Reduced to ten clubs between average of USD 187 million per team. 2002 and 2004 after investors decided Currently in its third decade, MLS has In a comparable round of expansions to fold the two Florida-based franchises, reached new heights with the debut of between 2004 and 2010, the league to- it would eventually return to a 12-team six new clubs in just five years (Atlanta taled USD 232 million (factoring inflation) structure with the inclusion of the Real United, Minnesota United, FC Cincin- from seven teams, at an average of USD Salt Lake and the Chivas USA - result of a nati, Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC and 33 million per club.
Evolution in the number MLS clubs (1996-2023) projection 30 28 26 27 24 22 23 20 20 18 19 19 19 15 16 14 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 10 10 10 10 10
96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
The analyses included in this report consider Sacramento Republic FC as MLS's 30th team
Evolution of MLS entry/expansion fees 325
200
150
100 70 35 40 20 30 5 10
1-10 12-13 14 15-16 17-18 19 20-21 23 24-27 28-29 30 Entry/expansion fee (USD million) Progressive number of club joining the league
The chart only takes into account the 'linear' evolution of MLS entry fees. As such, it does not consider those cases that may be considered as exceptional in this regard (e.g. Inter Miami's USD 25 million fee due to a previous agreement between David Beckham and the league)
6 7
MLS's 30 clubs (as of April 2021)
VAN
SEA
POR
MON
NER
TOR MIN
SAC NYC NYR CHI RSL PHI CLB CIN COL DCU SJO SKC STL
NAS LAF LAG CHA
ATL DAL
AUS HOU ORL
MIA
WESTERN CONFERENCE EASTERN CONFERENCE FUTURE CLUBS
AUS - AUSTIN FC ATL - ATLANTA UNITED FC CHA - CHARLOTTE FC
COL - COLORADO RAPIDS CHI - CHICAGO FIRE FC SAC - SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
DAL - FC DALLAS CIN - FC CINCINNATI STL - ST.LOUIS CITY SC
HOU - HOUSTON DYNAMO FC CLB - COLUMBUS CREW SC
LAF - LOS ANGELES FC DCU - DC UNITED
LAG - LOS ANGELES GALAXY MIA - INTER MIAMI CF
MIN - MINNESOTA UNITED FC MON - CF MONTREAL
POR - PORTLAND TIMBERS NAS - NASHVILLE SC
RSL - REAL SALT LAKE NEW - NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
SJO - SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES NYC - NEW YORK CITY FC
SEA - SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC NYR - NEW YORK RED BULLS
SKC - SPORTING KANSAS CITY ORL - ORLANDO CITY SC
VAN -VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC PHI - PHILADELPHIA UNION
TOR - TORONTO FC
7 Governance structures at national association level
MLS'S OWNERSHIP LANDSCAPE
The ownership landscape of the majority of MLS owners are from Today is vastly different from the si- MLS has drastically changed since North America, there are a few ins- tuation of the NASL forty years ago the league began in 1996. In its ear- tances – notably in the case of the whose development was stifled, in ly years, the league had to rely on a two New York franchises – where the part, by the explicit ban on cross- small group of investors who shared league has been able to attract im- sport investment in place in the NFL the ambition of seeing soccer break portant international investors. at the time. With more than half of through a sports market dominated clubs having a direct link to at least by the other four major professio- Quite a few teams have maintained another sports property across US nal leagues in the country - NFL, the same investor-operator since major professional leagues, MLS in- MLB, NBA and NHL. Certain inves- their debut in the league, with the vestors are diversely invested across tors committed to operate multiple New England Revolution being the the sporting industry domestically. teams. The ten original charter clubs sole founding club to have never Moreover, like across the global soc- belonged to six ownership groups, changed owner. Whilst a significant cer world, they increasingly seek out with three teams owned jointly by number of new investors are joining cross-industry synergies. Nearly half the MLS itself. Around 2001, the the league as a direct consequence of MLS clubs have at least one in- league was down to just three core of the league’s expansion, there has vestor in common with an European investors – Philip Anschutz, Lamar been a limited number of club takeo- club and 10% with a South American Hunt and Robert Kraft. At one point, vers in recent years. Currently two one. As such, MLS appears to be the Anschutz Entertainment Group MLS teams - Real Salt Lake and Sa- well-placed for all sorts of horizontal (AEG) temporarily owned six teams cramento Republic - are looking to integration. Interestingly, there are at the same time. attract new majority investors. Ove- instances where investors in different rall, long-term investments seem to MLS clubs joined forces for a similar Fast forward to 2021 and the situa- be a common trend across the MLS, ventures overseas. The takeover of tion could not be more different. as twelve clubs have had the same English side Swansea City in - led The current MLS ownership group investor-operator for ten or more by DC United’s Jason Levien and includes a vast and diverse set of in- years. Steve Kaplan – also included inves- dividuals and partnerships including tors currently involved in Orlando some of the country’s most success- What stands out in the current City, Houston Dynamo and Seattle ful businessmen and entrepreneurs ownership profile is the cross-sport Sounders. as well as sports and Hollywood stars and international links that MLS amongst others. Whilst in the vast owners bring to the league portfolio.
Number and percentage of MLS clubs having a direct link at ownership level with another major professional sports club/franchise
47%
27% 23% 20% 14 13% 13% 8 10% 7 6 4 4 3
NBA NFL NHL MLB NWSL EUROPEAN FRANCHISE FRANCHISE FRANCHISE FRANCHISE FRANCHISE SOCCER CLUB SOUTHSOCCER AMERICAN CLUB
8 9
Timeline of current MLS clubs (1996-2024)
96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24
COLORADO RAPIDS
COLUMBUS CREW
DC UNITED
FC DALLAS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
NEW YORK RED BULLS
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
CHICAGO FIRE FC
REAL SALT LAKE
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
TORONTO FC
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
PHILADELPHIA UNION
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
PORTLAND TIMBERS
CF MONTREAL
ORLANDO CITY SC
NEW YORK CITY FC
MINNESOTA UNITED
ATLANTA UNITED FC
LOS ANGELES FC
FC CINCINNATI
INTER MIAMI CF
NASHVILLE SC
AUSTIN FC
CHARLOTTE FC
ST.LOUIS CITY SC
SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
Ranking of MLS clubs by current ownership continuity Dark blue bars refer to the longevity, calculated from the year in which the club was officially awarded an MLS slot. When there is no 'dark blue' section, longe- vity and current ownership continuity coincide. In other words, the club has never been subject to a majority takeover.
27 26 26 27 26 27 27 27 24
16 17 17 14 26 23
18 18 15 15 14 13 12 12 11 10 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2
NER LAG COL DAL NYR SKC SJO PHI VAN POR MON TOR ORL NYC ATL LAF MIN HOU SEA NAS CIN DCU MIA CLB STL CHI AUS CHA RSL SAC
9 Governance structures at national association level
MLS STADIA AND ATTENDANCES
The evolution of stadia across the Major League Soccer. Charlotte FC of city downtowns. Out of the nine MLS is one of the most tangible evi- is the first expansion team since New league venues located within two dences of the increasing attention York City FC joined MLS in 2015 not miles from the city center, four are towards soccer by investors and fans to include the construction of a new soccer-specific stadiums that ope- in North America. In the league’s stadium in their bid. ned – or will open – after 2017. early years the vast majority of clubs shared their home venue with colle- New stadia opened on almost every Although league-wide average at- ge sports teams or professional season from 2006 to 2012 (9 in to- tendances showed a contraction for American football teams. In either tal), often more than one in the same the last two seasons played in front case, this meant they were playing in year. A new and more significant of fans after more than a decade of facilities designed for other purpo- phase of stadium building kicked off continuous growth, there are reason ses and not adequate to soccer and from 2017 and is ongoing. Currently, for optimism. Events such as the the crowds the game was able to ge- there are a total of five stadia under inauguration of the new Columbus nerate. The Columbus Crew was the construction, with three of them – in Crew stadium, the Chicago Fire’s re- first MLS club to build a soccer-spe- Columbus, Austin and Cincinnati – location to Soldier Field, as well as a cific stadium in 1998, followed by expected to open doors in 2021. All new venue in Austin – a city that has those inaugurated by the LA Galaxy of the MLS venues built after 2010 no other major professional sports in 2003 and FC Dallas in 2005. are soccer-specific and with a capa- team – will likely be contributing city below 30,000, the only excep- factors to an increase in MLS atten- Since then, the construction of soc- tion being the 71,000-seat Merce- dances once all fans will be allowed cer-specific stadiums has been inex- des-Benz stadium – a venue that back in the stands. tricably linked with MLS’s expansion Atlanta United shares with the NFL’s phase, becoming a fundamental part Atlanta Falcons. As MLS aims to be- of the league’s growth strategy and come more urban and accessible to essentially a requirement for any fans, the majority of new stadiums new investor interested in joining are being built in close proximity
MLS stadia: distance from downtown
MIA NER
SKC MIN LAF NYR
NYC COL MON NAS SJO
LAG PHI DCU TOR ATL CHI CIN AUS POR
CLB HOU ORL
DAL RSL SEA STL VAN <2 miles
2<5 miles
5<12 miles
>12 miles
10 11
Timeline of new stadia construction by total capacity (2005-2023)
SOCCER-SPECIFIC ATL NON SOCCER-SPECIFIC 75k NYC
50k NAS CHI CIN ORL NYR LAF STL HOU TOR AUS RSL DAL CLB DCU MIN PHI SKC SJO MIA COL
25k MON
05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
The stadiums of Toronto FC and CF Montréal have been considerably expanded since they first opened in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Inter Miami's stadium is an interim venue that will serve as the club's home until completion of the proposed new Freedom Park stadium.
Ranking of MLS clubs by average attendance - season 2019 52.5 40.2 27.3 25.2 25.0 23.2 22.8 22.2 21.1 19.5 19.7 18.8 18.6 18.1 17.8 17.7 17.1 16.7 16.2 15.7 14.9 14.8 14.3 12.3
ATL SEA CIN POR TOR LAG ORL LAF NYC MIN VAN SJO SKC RSL NYR DCU PHI NER MON HOU CLB DAL COL CHI
Evolution of MLS average attendances (values in thousands, 2005-2019)
2016 2017 2018 2015 2019 22.1 21.9 21.6 21.7 21.3 2014 2012 2013 2011 19.1 18.8 18.6 2007 2008 2010 17.9 2009 2006 16.8 16.5 16.7 2005 16.0 15.1 15.5
# OF 12 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 19 19 20 20 22 23 24 TEAMS CUMULATIVE 2.9 3.0 3.3 3.5 3.6 4.0 5.5 6.1 6.0 6.2 7.3 7.4 8.3 8.5 8.7 ATTENDANCE (mil)
11 Governance structures at national association level
PLAYER RECRUITMENT IN MLS
Player recruitment is a key pillar in de- context of the global transfer market. were recruited from South America termining the success of a soccer club, This new concept – supported also by and at a much younger average age and ultimately a league. For years, MLS Commissioner Don Garber when he – 23.4 years. In comparison, only 41 was broadly associated with a strategy stated that MLS should aim to become players joined from a club belonging of signing soccer stars at the end of a ‘selling league’ – would likely lead to the CONCACAF region, at 26.3 their careers, in order to raise its inter- clubs to strengthen their academies years of age on average. At individual national profile and appeal. Whilst si- and scouting activities – with obvious country level, Argentinian clubs are gnings such as that of David Beckham beneficial consequences in terms of those that transferred the most players for the LA Galaxy in 2007 undoubtedly the overall development of the do- directly to MLS, ahead of Mexican, En- represented a turning point for the mestic soccer ecosystem – but also to glish and Spanish teams. league’s popularity, they also contri- potentially add transfer fees as a com- buted to a less positive reputation ponent of their business model. The growing attention on young ta- amongst external observers about the lents from South America – typically a effective level of the league. In terms of actual numbers, nearly key element of the recruitment strate- half of the players that participated in gies of European clubs – has already Today, MLS appears to be on a diffe- the 2020 MLS season were recruited proved successful for some MLS clubs rent path, more focused on youth de- from abroad, whereas 14% were club- from a financial perspective. In 2019, velopment and the signing of young trained, intended as those who spent Atlanta United received a record USD promising talents. Such new approach at least two consecutive years in the 27-million transfer fee as a result of may indeed have many positives, as it club’s academy before eventually Miguel Almirón’s move to Newcastle may contribute to a more sustainable joining the first team. Around 60% United (ENG). The player had joined increase of the competitive level of the of ‘international’ players joined Major only two years earlier from Lanús (ARG) league, its ability to generate more in- League Soccer coming from an Euro- in exchange for a fee of around USD terest at international level, and esta- pean club. On average, they did so at 7.5 million. blish MLS as an important player in the 26.7 years of age. A total of 84 players
MLS players by type of recruitment (the analysis includes every player with at least one cap during the 2020 MLS season)
CLUB- RECRUITED FROM RECRUITED FROM TRAINED NORTH AMERICA ABROAD
14% (97 PLAYERS) 40% (270 PLAYERS) 46% (315 PLAYERS)
12 13
Average age of players at the time of recruitment, by location of players' prior club (the analysis includes all players with at least one cap in the 2020 MLS season. Club-trained players are not taken into account in this analysis)
UEFA 26.7 USA/CANADA 25.7 OTHER CONCACAF 26.3 AFC 27.4
CAF 22.7
CONMEBOL 23.4
Ranking of soccer regions by number of players transferred directly to the MLS (the analysis includes all players with at least one cap in the 2020 MLS season. Players recruited from the US or Canada have not been taken into account)
180
OTHER 96
BIG-5 84 84 41 7 3
UEFA CONMEBOL CONCACAF CAF AFC
Ranking of countries by number of players transferred directly to the MLS (the analysis includes all players with at least one cap in the 2020 MLS season. Players recruited in the US or Canada are not taken into account in this analysis)
30 27 23
18 17 14 13 13 13 13 10 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 5 5
ARG MEX ENG ESP GER COL BRA FRA ITA NED POR VEN CRC SCO SWE DEN BEL URU CHI ECU
13 Governance structures at national association level
MLS AND PLAYER SALARIES
The analysis of player salaries, based USD 860 thousand, result of more than Henry, the two clubs appear to have on the numbers published every year a threefold growth. now chosen a different approach, one by the MLS Players’ Association (MLS- that led them to be ranked respectively PA), offers interesting insights into the In 2019, overall team salary budgets 16th and 21st in terms of salaries in financial evolution of the league over varied in a ratio of 3:1 with two Cana- 2019. Only in four occasions across the the years. In general terms, the ave- dian clubs – Toronto FC and Vancouver last ten years, a club amongst the top rage total wage bill of an MLS club Whitecaps – representing the two ends three biggest spenders on salaries en- – USD 12 million in 2019 – has nearly of the spectrum. When removing the ded up winning the league. The Seatt- tripled over the last ten years and near- top three from this specific list, howe- le Sounders - MLS Champions in 2019 ly doubled when only the last six sea- ver, the ratio between the biggest and - ranked on that season. sons are considered. the lowest spenders is only 1.5:1. Two clubs clearly stand out when looking The evolution of MLS salaries is directly The salary distribution reveals a consi- at their total wage bill over the years. linked with the Collective Bargaining derable gap between the highest ear- Toronto FC has topped the ranking in Agreement (CBA) periodically nego- ners and the vast majority of players. each of the last six seasons for which tiated between the league and the In 2019, almost two thirds of the data is available, managing to achieve MLSPA. As covid-19 forced the two players that competed in MLS made its first MLS Cup in 2017. The LA Ga- parties to revise the terms of the deal less than USD 300 thousand per year, laxy have been in the top three across previously reached for the 2020-2024 whilst 58 pocketed more than USD 1 the whole 2010-2019 decade with the period, a new agreement covering million – nine of which earned at least only exception of one season. epresen- all seasons up to 2027 was sealed in USD 3 million. Even in this regard, the ting one of the biggest markets in the February 2021. From a salary budget MLS evolved considerably since 2007, league, the two New York franchises perspective - whilst no cuts were intro- the first year of data published by the have also been amongst the biggest duced - the increase originally meant MLSPA. At the time, 90% of players spenders at different points in time. to come into effect in 2021 has been made less than USD 187 thousand per Once featuring star players such as now postponed to 2023. year; the same threshold is today set at Frank Lampard, David Villa and Thierry
MLS players by salary range - season 2019
LESS THAN USD BETWEEN USD 300K MORE THAN ONE 300K AND USD 1 MILLION MILLION USD
63% (451 PLAYERS) 29% (205 PLAYERS) 8% (58 PLAYERS) LAG LAG LAG LAG
14 15
Ranking of MLS clubs by total wage bill (season 2019, values in USD million) 24.3 19.6 17.1 13.8 13.7 13.1 13.0 12.6 12.6 12.1 11.1 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.4 9.9 10.2 9.6 8.8 8.7 8.7 8.6 8.2
TOR LAG CHI LAF SEA MON ATL ORL POR SKC RSL CLB NER SJO MIN NYC DCU PHI CIN DAL NYR HOU COL VAN
Evolution of the average total wage bill of an MLS club (2007-2019 values in USD million)
2019 2018 12.0 11.1 2016 2017 2015 9.0 9.1 8.3 2014 2012 2013 6.4 2010 2011 5.2 5.0 2007 2008 2009 4.4 4.7 3.2 3.4 3.4
# OF 13 14 15 16 18 19 19 19 20 20 22 23 24 TEAMS CUMUL. 42.1 47.0 51.7 70.9 85.0 99.0 94.8 121.4 167.0 179.9 200.3 255.9 288.4 SALARIES
Ranking of the top 3 MLS clubs with the highest wage bill (2010-2019)
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1ST NYR LAG NYR NYR TOR TOR TOR TOR TOR TOR
2ND LAG NYR LAG SEA LAG LAG NYC NYC LAG LAG
3RD CHI TOR TOR LAG SEA NYC LAG CHI CHI CHI
MLS Cup winner
15 Governance structures at national association level
MLS PLAYING STATISTICS
The analysis of playing statistics England Revolution and Nashville domestic ones – from 27.1 years to offers additional point of views to SC. In terms of age ranges, the 26.4. This may represent an indica- understand the trends across Major most notable trend sees a signifi- tor of the increasing investments of League Soccer from a more spor- cantly increasing share of minutes MLS in youth development and club ting perspective. In terms of na- granted to young domestic players. academies. At individual club level, tionality of players, more than half At league-wide level, playing time is with an average age of 28.4 years, of the total minutes played across nearly equally distributed between the most experienced squads in the 2020 MLS regular season have players below 28 years old (56% of 2020 were fielded by Sporting Kan- been granted to foreign ones. More total minutes on aggregate) and sas City, Seattle Sounders, Portland specifically, this value appears to those above this age (44%). Timbers and Toronto FC. Los Ange- have stabilized at around 58% in re- les FC and New York Red Bulls were cent years, a value 23% higher than Data on the global average age instead the youngest. In the case of that registered for the 2015 season. across the league confirms that the franchise owned by the Austrian With an impressive 80% of minutes the MLS has been recently getting energy drink company, the average played by non-domestic players, ‘younger’. Between 2019 and 2020 squad age of 25.4 years appears to Houston Dynamo leads the ranking this value experienced the most reaffirm an approach towards youth at individual club level, ahead of Los significant decrease in the last six development similar to that adop- Angeles FC and New York City FC. years, going from 27.6 years to 27.2. ted across the other Red Bull-owned On the other end of the spectrum More specifically, this is the result of soccer teams in the world. - with more than two-thirds of total a slight reduction in the average age minutes played by players from the of foreign players and a much more US or Canada - are instead the New significant decrease in the case of
League-wide average ages by players' origin (calculations are based on the total minutes played throughout each season)
FOREIGN PLAYERS TOTAL SQUAD USA/CAN
28,6 28,2 28 28,1 27,9 27,6 27,6 27,7 27,6 27,7 27,4 27,3 27,427,3 27,1 27,1 27,2
26,4
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
Minutes (as % of the league-wide total) played by foreign players (2015-2020)
58,5 58 54 57,2 47,6 50,4
1515 1616 1717 1818 1919 2020
16 17
Ranking of MLS clubs by % of minutes played by foreign players - Regular Season 2020 80.1 75.5 75.4 72.7 69.5 69.4 69.2 68.4 67.0 63.9 62.2 59.7 59.8 59.1 55.8 55.2 53.4 52.7 51.1 49.6 48.9 47.1 41.1 35.7 33.0 31.7
HOU LAF NYC MON CHI SEA CLB ORL POR DCU MIN PHI SJO CIN VAN MIA RSL ATL SKC COL NYR DAL LAG TOR NAS NER
Ranking of MLS clubs by average squad age - Regular Season 2020 (calculations based on the actual minutes played by each individual player) 28.4 28.4 28.4 28.4 28.1 28.0 27.9 27.8 27.7 27.6 27.5 27.3 27.3 27.3 27.1 27.1 27.0 27.0 26.6 26.5 26.2 26.2 26.1 25.9 25.4 25.2
SKC SEA POR TOR HOU MIN CIN CLB SJO LAG RSL DAL NAS MIA NYC NER CHI DCU ORL MON PHI COL ATL VAN NYR LAF
Minutes played (as % of the total for each category) by age range (2015-2020)
FOREIGN USA/CAN TOTAL SQUAD
8 8 9 8 1 6 1 10 2 11 9 8 11 9 11 1 11 9 10 7 11 11 6 10 2 10 6 11 6 9 9
7 27 1 8 2 5 9 8 2 27 8 28 9 29 6 5 6 5 1 7 6 2 9 5 7 5
6 9 5 7 6 6 7 1 5 1 6 1 9 0 8 8 8 9 7 8 8 2 0 7 8 8 6 0 5
21 25 9 10 1 11 6 11 6 11 10 6 12 9 11 7 16 16 11 10 9 1 6 1 6 15 2 16 8 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
U23 23-27 28-32 >33
17 Governance structures at national association level
ATLANTA UNITED FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2014 2017 USD 70m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is owned by Arthur M. Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot - the world's MLS CUP largest home improvement retailer. He is also the owner and chairman of NFL's 2018 Atlanta Falcons and through the company StadCo operates the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the USD 1.6 billion venue inaugurated in 2017 and home to the two fran- US OPEN CUP chises. Blank's investments in sports, which also includes the acquisition of a mino- 2019 rity stake in Aberdeen (SCO) in 2019, fall under the AMB Sports and Entertainment umbrella - a company owned by the AMB Group. CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 2018 ABERDEEN (SCO)
ATLANTA FALCONS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
53 NAME MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM 52.5 48.2
LOCATION ATLANTA, GEORGIA
INAUGURATION 2017
CAPACITY 42'500*
SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 17 18 19 * The stadium may be expanded to a capacity of over 70,000 people. In Au- gust 2019, Atlanta United broke MLS's record for a single-match attendance Values in thousands when it welcomed 72,548 fans for the regular season match against the LA Galaxy.
18 19
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.5
USA/CANADA 24.3 OTHER CONCACAF 28.4
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 23.6
PLAYER SALARIES
13 11.6 8.9
17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages by players' origin (calculations based on the total minutes played) (2017-2020) 1
0 6
29
65 8 27 5 60 5 27 27 56 27 1 52 7 TOTAL SQUAD 26 1 FOREIGN 25 7 25 6 25 2 USA/CAN 2 9
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
19 15 16 17 18 19 20 Governance structures at national association level
CHICAGO FIRE FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1997 1998 N/A
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
MLS CUP The club is owned by Chicago-based Joe Mansueto. He is the founder of Mor- 1998 ningstar, a financial services firm that manages or advises on more than USD 200 billion in assets. Mansueto first bought a 49% stake in the Chicago Fire in 2018, SUPPORTERS' eventually purchasing the remaining 51% a year later. The club’s valuation reporte- SHIELD dly increased from USD 240 million to USD 400 million in between the two transac- 2003 tions. One of Mansueto's first moves at the helm of the club was to move the team back to the historic Soldier Field after 13 years at the SeatGeek stadium (originally US OPEN CUP Toyota Park) in Bridgeview, Illinois. 1998, 2000, 2003,2006 CONFERENCE ___ CHAMPIONS 1998, 2003
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Soldier Field to SeatGeek NAME SOLDIER FIELD Stadium
LOCATION CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
INAUGURATION 1924*
17.2 17 17.4 16.5 15.8 16.4 16.1 16 15.6 CAPACITY 61'500 14.1 14.7 14.3 15.2 14.8 12.3
SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
* From 2020 the club has returned to its original home venue, Soldier Field, Values in thousands after 13 years at the SeatGeek Stadium (formerly Toyota Park). Soldier Field underwent major renovations in 2002.
20 21
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 28.3
USA/CANADA 26.9 OTHER CONCACAF -
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 22.1
PLAYER SALARIES
17.1 15.5 13
5.6 5.8 4.7 4.8 5.1 5 4.1 3.8 4.3 3
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29 8 29 29 2
28 5 28 1 27 9 27 9 27 8 27 7 68 2 69 5 27 27 60 7 27 1 27 59 58 6 26 7 26 5 7 8 26 2 TOTAL SQUAD 25 8 FOREIGN 25 2
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Governance structures at national association level
FC CINCINNATI
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2018 2019 USD 150m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club’s majority owner is Carl Lindner III, one of Cincinnati's wealthiest men and ___ co-CEO of American Financial Group - a Fortune 500 company in the insurance business. He is the oldest son of Carl Lindner Jr. - a former owner of MLB’s Cin- cinnati Reds. Lindner is joined at the helm of the club by a diverse group of local investors. In November 2019, Silicon Valley veteran Meg Whitman also invested in a 20% stake in FC Cincinnati alongside her husband Griff Harsh. The former CEO of Hewlett Packard and Ebay reportedly paid USD 100 million for the acquisition, valuing the club at USD 500 million.
___
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME WEST END STADIUM*
LOCATION CINCINNATI, OHIO
INAUGURATION 2021 27.3
CAPACITY 26'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 19 * The stadium is expected to open doors on May 16th , 2021. The club is temporarily playing its home games at the Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Values in thousands
22 23
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 26.6
USA/CANADA 25.5 OTHER CONCACAF 22.9
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.1
PLAYER SALARIES
9 6
19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2019-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played) 29 9
28 9
27 9 27 6
59 59 1 25 7
TOTAL SQUAD 2 9 FOREIGN
USA/CAN 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
23 Governance structures at national association level
COLORADO RAPIDS
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1995 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Stanley Kroenke is the club's owner since September 2003. Married to Walmart MLS CUP heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, he is the chairman and owner of The Kroenke Group, 2010 a private real estate investment and development company with properties located in the United States and Canada. His estimated net worth is USD 8.2 billion. He CONFERENCE is also the owner of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) a company that today CHAMPIONS owns several franchises across US professional leagues as well as Arsenal FC in the 1997, 2010 English Premier League.
ARSENAL (ENG) DENVER NUGGETS
LOS ANGELES RAMS COLORADO AVALANCHE
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Empower Field to Dick's Sporting Goods Park NAME DICK'S SPORTING GOODS PARK
LOCATION COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO
INAUGURATION 2007
16 1 7 1 8 15 2 15 15 1 15 7 15 15 1 6 1 7 1 1 CAPACITY 18'061 12 1 12
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
24 25
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 27.5
USA/CANADA 25.8 OTHER CONCACAF 31.0
Two players One player CONMEBOL 19.8
PLAYER SALARIES
9 7 8 7 8 8 6 5 1 2 5 5 2 2 5 2 2 7
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on total minutes played) 28 9
28 2 28 27 827 9 27 8 27 7 27 6 27 27 27 26 8 26 9 26 9 26 6 5 26 2 56 2 9 6 25 6 6 6 5 TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
25 Governance structures at national association level
COLUMBUS CREW SC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1994 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Since December 2018 the club is controlled by a group including Dee and Jimmy MLS CUP Haslam - already owners of NFL's Cleveland Browns - and local businessman Pete 2008,2020 Edwards. The Haslam family owns 67% of USD 31 billion Pilot Flying J, a North American chain of truck stops and convenience stores. Reportedly worth USD 150 SUPPORTERS' million, the takeover allowed the new owners keep to the MLS franchise in Colum- SHIELD bus, following months of talks about a potential relocation to Austin, TX. The team 2004, 2008, 2009 is expected to inaugurate in July 2021 its new 20,000-seat USD 314 million stadium. US OPEN CUP 2002
CLEVELAND BROWNS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 2008, 2015, 2020
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME NEW CREW STADIUM*
LOCATION COLUMBUS, OHIO
INAUGURATION 2021
CAPACITY 20'000 17.1 16.1 15.9 17 15.2 14.6 14.4 14.6 14.4 15.4 14.9 12.9 13.3 12.2 12.4 SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
* The stadium is expected to open doors on July 3rd , 2021. The club is tem- 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 porarily playing its home games at the MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus. Values in thousands
26 27
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 28.6
USA/CANADA 26.7 OTHER CONCACAF 24.1
CAF 29.0
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.9
PLAYER SALARIES
10.6 7.7 6.7 5.7 5.9 3.7 2.9 3.6 3.6 3.5 2.1 2.4 2.8
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28 5 28 6 28 1 27 927 8 27 9 27 9 27 8 27 6 27 27 5 27 1 26 9 26 7 69 2 26 5 26 6 61 6 60 7 56 1 57 9 52 2 TOTAL SQUAD 25 1
FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
27 Governance structures at national association level
FC DALLAS
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1995 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
FC Dallas is owned by the Hunt family, one of the richest in the United States with an estimated net worth of USD 15.5 billion. Lamar Hunt, son of oil tycoon H.L. SUPPORTERS' Hunt, was a pivotal figure in American sports history and played a crucial role in the SHIELD development of soccer in North America, being also one of the founding investors 2016 in the MLS. The US Open Cup - the oldest ongoing national soccer competition – US OPEN CUP is still today named after him. His sons Clark and Dan are currently chairman and 1997, 2016 president of FC Dallas respectively. CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS CHICAGO BULLS 2010
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME TOYOTA STADIUM
LOCATION FRISCO, TEXAS
INAUGURATION 2005 16 8 15 16 15 5 15 15 1 1 1 1 1 15 1 1 8 CAPACITY 20'500 1 12 12 9 11 2 10 8
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
28 29
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 29.1
USA/CANADA 24.4 OTHER CONCACAF 32.0
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 25.6
PLAYER SALARIES
9 8 8 6 5 5 8 6 1 7 1 2 6 2 7 2 9
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin 29 7 (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
27 9
27 2 27 26 9 27 27 26 7 68 62 8 26 25 9 25 9 51 8 9 51 25 7 1 25 1 25 1 25 2 TOTAL SQUAD 2 9 25
FOREIGN
USA/CAN 2 2 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
29 Governance structures at national association level
DC UNITED
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1994 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is owned by Jason Levien and Stephen Kaplan. An investor in real estate MLS CUP and sports and technology-focused businesses, Levien - who previously served as 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004 CEO of NBA's Memphis Grizzlies - was first named a majority owner of DC United in 2012. Kaplan, the co-founder of Oaktree Capital Group - a global investment SUPPORTERS' management firm and previously co-chairman of the Memphis Grizzlies - joined SHIELD him at the helm of the club in 2018. Together, they also led the takeover of Swansea 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007 City (ENG) in 2016. US OPEN CUP 1996, 2008, 2013
SWANSEA CITY (ENG) CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 1996, 1997, 1998,1999, 2004
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from RFK Stadium to Audi NAME AUDI FIELD Field
LOCATION WASHINGTON, D.C.
INAUGURATION 2018 21 19.8 18.2 17.9 16.7 17 17.1 17.6 17.7 CAPACITY 20'000 16.1 15.2 16.2 14.5 13.8 13.6
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
30 31
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.7
USA/CANADA 28.2 OTHER CONCACAF 24.5 AFC 29.8
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 25.0
PLAYER SALARIES
9.7 10.2
6.1 4.9 5.3 4.1 4.3 3.3 3.5 3.6 4 2.3 2.9
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29 5 29 1 29 1
28 28 28 1 28 27 8 27 5 27 6 27 6 27 6 9 27 62 1 60 7 26 8 26 7
26 1 TOTAL SQUAD 0 8 FOREIGN 25 1 2 7 18 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
31 Governance structures at national association level
HOUSTON DYNAMO
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2005 2006 USD 5m*
*The entry fee reflects the amount paid by the San Jose Clash to join the league in 1996. The franchise was relocated to Houston in 2005.
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Since December 2015, the club's controlling owner is Gabriel Brener. The CEO of MLS CUP Brener International Group - an LA-based private investment firm - is one of just two 2006, 2007 Latino owners in American sports. He is joined at the helm of the club by boxing champion and Golden Boy Productions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, Stormlight Hol- US OPEN CUP dings chairman and CEO Jake Silverstein, White Deer Partners managing partner 2018 Ben Guill and NBA all-star James Harden. Harden's acquisition of a small stake in the club for USD 15 million in July 2019 reportedly placed the valuation of the fran- CONFERENCE chise and its stadium at USD 425 million. CHAMPIONS 2006, 2007, 2011,2012 SWANSEA CITY (ENG), HOUSTON DASH
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Robertson Stadium to BBVA NAME BBVA STADIUM Stadium
LOCATION HOUSTON, TEXAS
INAUGURATION 2012 20 8 20 1 20 7 18 9 19 9 19 16 9 17 17 17 7 17 5 16 9 CAPACITY 22'000 15 9 15 7
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
32 33
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 24.7
USA/CANADA 27.4 OTHER CONCACAF 25.2
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 22.2
PLAYER SALARIES
8 7 5 9 5 5 1 5 1 5 5 6 2 2 5 2 6 2 6
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
0 29 8 29 29 29 80 1 28 6 28 6 7 1 28 28 1 28 2 28 1 65 9 65 5 28 27 9 27 7 27 8
TOTAL SQUAD 26 9 26 8 9 9 9 26 6 FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
33 15 16 17 18 19 20 Governance structures at national association level
INTER MIAMI CF
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2018 2020 USD 25m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
In addition to David Beckham, who has been the driving force behind the creation ____ of the franchise, Inter Miami's ownership group currently comprises of other four individuals. Marcelo Claure - a Bolivian-American tech entrepreneur - is the CEO of SoftBank Group International and COO of SoftBank Group Corporation. The Mas brothers - Jorge and Jose - are respectively chairman and CEO of MasTec, an infrastructure engineering and construction company, with more than USD 7 billion in revenue in 2019. Masayoshi Son - founder and CEO of SoftBank - was recently named by Forbes the richest person in Japan with an estimated net worth of USD 45.4 billion.
GIRONA CF (ESP), CLUB BOLIVAR (BOL), SALFORD CITY (ENG)
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME DRV PNK STADIUM
LOCATION FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
INAUGURATION 2020
CAPACITY 18'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
* The DRV PNK Stadium will serve as the club's temporary home venue until completion of the proposed Freedom Park stadium. 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
34 35
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 29.8
USA/CANADA 28.3 OTHER CONCACAF 27.2
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.9
PLAYER SALARIES
Data on player salaries currently available only until the 2019 MLS season
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28
27
26
55 2 TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
35 Governance structures at national association level
LOS ANGELES FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2014 2018 USD 110m
OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER CLUB INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS HONORS
With 31 owners listed as of March 2021, LAFC has possibly the largest and most diverse ownership groups across the MLS. The three managing owners are Larry Berg - the chairman of McGraw-Hill Education - Brandon Beck - a co-founder of SUPPORTERS' video game developer and e-sports tournament organizer Riot Games - and Ben- SHIELD nett Rosenthal - a co-founder of Ares Management LP and co-chairman of the Pri- 2019 vate Equity Group. LAFC's ownership group also includes famous sports persona- lities such as soccer legend Mia Hamm, former professional baseball player Nomar Garciaparra and NBA all-star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson. The franchise was valued at more than USD 700 million in February 2020 when Vincent Tan - one of the original investors in the club - sold half of his shares.
QPR (ENG), ANGEL CITY LOS ANGELES DODGERS
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS, BROOKLYN NETS, LOS ANGELES SPARKS, NEW YORK LIBERTY
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME BANC OF CALIFORNIA STADIUM
LOCATION LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
INAUGURATION 2018 22 22 2
CAPACITY 22'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 1 0 1 0 150 160 170 18 19
Values in thousands
36 37
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 28.4
USA/CANADA 25.3 OTHER CONCACAF -
CAF 19.2
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 22.7
PLAYER SALARIES
1 1 1 8
18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2018-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played) 28 9
27 7 27 7 27 8
75 5 26 5 26 2 58 52 1 TOTAL SQUAD 25 1 25 2
FOREIGN 2
USA/CAN
150 160 170 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
37 Governance structures at national association level
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1994 1996 USD 5m
CLUB HONORS OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP Since 1998 the club is owned by Philip Anschutz and his Anschutz Entertainment 2000 Group (AEG) - the leading sports and live entertainment company in the world. AEG played a crucial role in supporting the development of MLS. In 2006, it ope- MLS CUP rated as many as six out of the ten teams participating in the league. As part of its 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014 investments in soccer, AEG also co-owns a majority stake in Hammarby IF (SWE) together with former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. SUPPORTERS' SHIELD 1998, 2002, 2010,2011
US OPEN CUP HAMMARBY IF (SWE) LOS ANGELES LAKERS 2001, 2005
CONFERENCE LOS ANGELES KINGS, EISBÄREN BERLIN (GER), CHAMPIONS DJURGÅRDENS (SWE) 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK
LOCATION CARSON, CALIFORNIA 26 25 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 22 2 22 2 2 2 INAUGURATION 2003 20 8 20 21 21
CAPACITY 27'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
38 39
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 26.0
USA/CANADA 26.5 OTHER CONCACAF 23.9
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 23.6
PLAYER SALARIES
21 19 6 18 1 17 5 1 7 1 2 12 7 12 1 11 9 9 2 9 8 9 9
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
0 8 0 7 0
29 29
28 7 57 8 58 2 28 28 2 5 8 55 27 928 28 51 5 27 6 27 6 1 1 TOTAL SQUAD 27 27 27 26 7 FOREIGN 26 1 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
39 15 16 17 18 19 20 Governance structures at national association level
MINNESOTA UNITED FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2015 2017 USD 100m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is controlled by a local ownership group led by Dr. Bill McGuire - a for- mer CEO of UnitedHealth Group and already owner of NASL's Minnesota United ___ since 2012. McGuire is joined in the MLS project by a group of investors. Amongst others, these reportedly include Robert and Jim Pohlad - members of a family that owns more than 30 diverse Minneapolis-based businesses and owners of MLB's Minnesota Twins, Glen Taylor - owner of the Star Tribune newspaper - and Wendy Nelson - chair of the Carlson Family Foundation.
MINNESOTA TWINS BOSTON BRUINS
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES*, MINNESOTA LYNX
* As of April 2021, Glen Taylor is reportedly in advanced talks to sell his majority share in the Minnesota Timberwolves
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from TCF NAME Bank Stadium to ALLIANZ FIELD Allianz Field
LOCATION SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
INAUGURATION 2019 2 9 20 5 19 7 CAPACITY 19'400
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 1 0 1 0 150 160 17 18 19 Values in thousands
40 41
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 28.8
USA/CANADA 26.0 OTHER CONCACAF -
CAF 28.9
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 23.8
PLAYER SALARIES
10 6 8 5
5
17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2017-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played) 0 1
29 5 29 29 28 5 28 228 1 27 9 28 65 8 62 2 27 57 50 7 TOTAL SQUAD 25 5 FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 41 Governance structures at national association level
CF MONTRÉAL
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2010 2012 USD 40m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
CF Montréal was founded in 1992 by Joey Saputo, still today the owner of the club. ___ He is the son of the founder of Saputo Inc - a company amongst the top ten dairy processors in the world. In 2014, Saputo expanded his soccer investments overseas with the acquisition of Bologna FC, currently competing in the Italian Serie A. The two clubs established a close collaboration since then, with several players moving from Europe to Canada and vice versa over the years.
BOLOGNA FC (ITA)
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME STADE SAPUTO
LOCATION MONTREAL, CANADA
INAUGURATION 2008 22.8 20.6 20.7 20 18.6 17.4 17.8 CAPACITY 19'610 16.2
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
42 43
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.0
USA/CANADA 25.0 OTHER CONCACAF -
CAF 21.0
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.9
PLAYER SALARIES
12.6 13.2
6.6 7 5.7 6.3 4.8 5.2
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played) 0 5 0 2
29 6 29 29 29 1 28 6 28 5 28 1 27 9 27 7 27 7 72 7 27 65 6 62 2 61 57 9 26 5 55 9 26 2 26 26 2 TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN 2 6 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
43 Governance structures at national association level
NASHVILLE SC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2017 2020 USD 150m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Since 2017, the team has been owned by the investment group Nashville Soccer ___ Holdings, led by John Ingram. A local businessman, he is the chairman of Ingram Industries, a company comprising of diversified businesses with revenues of USD 2.5 billion as of November 2020. He is joined in the ownership of Nashville SC by Mark, Zygi and Leonard Wilf - who built their wealth as real estate developers and own NFL's Minnesota Vikings - and by the Turner family, managing partners of the real estate development firm MarketStreet Enterprises.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME NASHVILLE SC STADIUM
LOCATION NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
INAUGURATION 2022
CAPACITY 30'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190
Values in thousands
44 45
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.0
USA/CANADA 26.0 OTHER CONCACAF 27.0
Two players One player
PLAYER SALARIES
Data on player salaries currently available only until the 2019 MLS season
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
27 9
27
26 2
TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN 15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
45 Governance structures at national association level
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1995 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is owned by Robert Kraft since its foundation in 1995. He is the founder, US OPEN CUP chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group, a holding company that includes the New 2007 England Patriots - one of the most successful teams in the history of the NFL - as well as businesses in the packaging and real estate industries amongst others. Kraft CONFERENCE owned another MLS side - the San Jose Clash - between 1998 and 2000 and was CHAMPIONS reportedly interested in taking over Liverpool FC in 2005. He was named honorary 2002, 2005, 2006,2007, chairman of the board for the United Bid Committee of Canada, Mexico and the 2014 United States that oversaw the bidding process that eventually will bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North America.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME GILLETTE STADIUM
LOCATION FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS
INAUGURATION 2002 19 6 20 2 19 18 16 7 17 6 16 7 16 7 CAPACITY 20'000* 1 8 1 7 1 1 2 1 12 5 11 8 SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
* The stadium reaches a 65'878-seat capacity for NFL games Values in thousands
46 47
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 26.9
USA/CANADA 24.8 OTHER CONCACAF 28.5
Two players One player
PLAYER SALARIES
10.6
7.3 7.5 6.5 5.9 5.8 2.8 3 2.9 3.2 1.9 2.2 2.6
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28 28 1 28 1 28 2 27 5 27 27 27 1 27 1 26 9 26 9 27 26 9 27 26 6 26 6 26
25 8 7 6 1 8 TOTAL SQUAD
2 8 1 7 FOREIGN 22 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
47 Governance structures at national association level
NEW YORK CITY FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2013 2015 USD 100m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club has been jointly owned since its foundation at 80% by the City Football Group (CFG) and at 20% by Yankee Global Enterprises, the entity behind the New ___ York Yankees. The City Football Group, whose majority shareholder is the Abu Dha- bi United Group (ADUG) - oversees the biggest network of football clubs in the world. As of April 2021, it directly controls a total of ten clubs across four continents. In 2015, China Media Capital (CMC) Holdings led a consortium to acquire 13% of the CFG for USD 400 million, valuing it at USD 3 billion in total. Four years later, this valuation had already grown to USD 4.8 billion, when Silver Lake, a US-based private equity firm, acquired slightly over 10% of the CFG for USD 500 million.
CITY FOOTBALL GROUP (10 CLUBS)
NEW YORK YANKEES
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME YANKEE STADIUM
29 LOCATION THE BRONX, NEW YORK 27.2
22.3 23.2 21.1 INAUGURATION 2009
CAPACITY 28'743*
SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO 050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 15 16 17 18 19
* The capacity of the stadium may be expanded to nearly 55'000. Values in thousands
48 49
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.3
USA/CANADA 25.5 OTHER CONCACAF 25.8
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.6
PLAYER SALARIES
21.3
17.4 17.9 14.8
10.4
15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
0 8
0 29 5 29
77 6 75 5 7 8 75 66 6 27 8 27 8 27 7 27 27 1 27 1 27 26 9 5 26 7 TOTAL SQUAD 26 25 9 FOREIGN 25 25 1 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
15 16 17 18 19 20 49 Governance structures at national association level
NEW YORK RED BULLS
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1994 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Originally known as the New York/New Jersey Metrostars, the club adopted its cur- SUPPORTERS' rent name in 2006 when Red Bull, the multi-national Austrian energy drink, invested SHIELD around USD 100 million to acquire its operating rights. This was Red Bull's first 2013, 2015, 2018 investment in football outside its home country. Today, the new New York Red Bulls CONFERENCE are part of one of the most innovative multi-club ownership strategies in the world, CHAMPIONS one that also comprises two clubs in Austria, one in Germany and two in Brazil. 2008
RED BULL GROUP (SIX CLUBS)
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Giants Stadium to Red Bull Arena NAME RED BULL ARENA
LOCATION HARRISON, NEW JERSEY
20.6 21.2 INAUGURATION 19.7 19.5 19.3 19.7 2010 18.4 18.3 18.6 17.8 16.5 15.9 15.1 14.6 12.5 CAPACITY 25'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
50 51
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 23.8
USA/CANADA 22.4 OTHER CONCACAF -
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 20.6
PLAYER SALARIES
16.7 15.7 13.4 10.9 11.3 8.1 8.7 6.3 6.9 4.9 4.2 3.4 3.5
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28 5 28 2 28 2 28 27 6 27 6 27 27 1 27 26 9 26 26 5 26 2 26 2 25 9 25 6 7 6 9 8 9 1 8 9 25 5 TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
51 Governance structures at national association level
ORLANDO CITY SC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2013 2015 USD 70m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Brazilian entrepreneur Flavio Augusto da Silva - the founder of online education company Wise Up - is the club's majority shareholder since February 2013. In 2018, ____ he sold 8.6% of Orlando Sports Holdings - the entity that also controls NWSL's Or- lando Pride and USL's Orlando City B - to Albert Friedberg, valuing the club at USD 490 million. Friedberg is the founder and president of Friedberg Mercantile Group, a Toronto-based investment firm. More recently, da Silva sold an undisclosed por- tion of the club to Jed Kaplan, already a part-owner of NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and of Swansea City (ENG). As of March 2021, rumours indicate that da Silva might be looking to sell his majority stake in the club.
ORLANDO PRIDE, SWANSEA CITY (ENG)
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Camping World Stadium to Exploria Stadium NAME EXPLORIA STADIUM
32.8 LOCATION ORLANDO, FLORIDA 31.3
25 INAUGURATION 2017 23.9 22.8
CAPACITY 25'500
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES
050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
52 53
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 27.7
USA/CANADA 24.1 OTHER CONCACAF 29.8
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 23.8
PLAYER SALARIES
13.2 12.6 11.3 11.8 8.9 7.4
14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28 28 5
27 8 27 8 27 7 27 5 27 27 5 27 2 27 2 27 26 8 70 2 68 26 7 26 6 26 6 59 9 51 9 7 8 25 6 TOTAL SQUAD 25 2 2 6 FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
53 Governance structures at national association level
PHILADELPHIA UNION
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2008 2010 USD 30m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Philadelphia Union has been led since its foundation by Jay Sugarman - the chair- SUPPORTERS' man and CEO of commercial real estate company iStar, as well as founder, chair- SHIELD man and CEO of Safehold, a real estate investment trust. The club, whose parent 2020 company is Keystone Sports & Entertainment, includes at least eight other inves- tors in addition to Sugarman. NBA star Kevin Durant acquired a 5% stake in June 2020 with an option to buy an additional 5% in the future. Whilst the specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, it was reported that the club's valuation was north of the USD 325 million Charlotte agreed just a few months earlier to secure the latest MLS expansion team.
_____
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME SUBARU PARK
LOCATION CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
INAUGURATION 2010 19.3 18.3 18.1 17.9 17.6 17.5 17.5 16.8 16.5 17.1 CAPACITY 18'500
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 050 060 070 080 090 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
54 55
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 27.0
USA/CANADA 24.4 OTHER CONCACAF 25.0
CAF 20.5
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 24.9
PLAYER SALARIES
9.9 8.9 6.4 7.1 5.4 4.4 2.9 3.6 3.4 3.6
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29
28 1 27 9 28 27 7 27 6 27 27 1 27 1 26 9 26 8 26 7 26 26 2 26 2 60 5 59 8 25 7 25 5 2 5 5 5 2 2 8 TOTAL SQUAD
FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
55 Governance structures at national association level
PORTLAND TIMBERS
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2009 2011 USD 35m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The Portland Timbers have been owned by Merritt Paulson since 2007, when the MLS CUP club was competing in the USL. Paulson - who was 34 at the time - is a former 2015 executive at NBA Entertainment, where he contributed to the success of NBA TV amongst other things. Since 2012, he has been significantly involved in the creation CONFERENCE and development of the NWSL, the new US professional women's soccer league. CHAMPIONS He established the Portland Thorns as one of the competition's eight inaugural 2013, 2017 clubs and still plays a key role in the league's expansion committee.
PORTLAND THORNS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME PROVIDENCE PARK
LOCATION PORTLAND, OREGON 25 2
20 20 7 20 8 21 1 21 1 21 1 21 1 INAUGURATION 1926 18 8
CAPACITY 25'218
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 050 060 070 080 090 100 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
56 57
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.5
USA/CANADA 26.2 OTHER CONCACAF 24.6
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 25.4
PLAYER SALARIES
12 6 10 8 11
7 5 6 1 5 8 2 7
11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29 1 29 28 8 28 5 28 5 28 5 28 6 79 9 79 5 28 28 28 28 1 71 7 27 9 27 9 67 67 6 27 5 27 27 26 8 TOTAL SQUAD 26
FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
15 16 17 18 19 20 57 Governance structures at national association level
REAL SALT LAKE
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2004 2005 USD 10m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
MLS CUP The club is currently looking for a new owner after previous investor Dell Loy 2009 Hansen set out to sell all the sports properties under the Utah Soccer Holdings umbrella, following an MLS investigation that found he engaged in conduct CONFERENCE that was 'inappropriate for the workplace' and 'contrary to the values' of MLS. CHAMPIONS The league itself took over the sale process of the franchise in January 2021. 2013, 2019
___
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Rice-Eccles Stadium to Rio Tinto Stadium NAME RIO TINTO STADIUM
LOCATION SANDY, UTAH
20 20 2 19 1 19 2 19 8 18 8 INAUGURATION 2008 18 17 6 18 6 18 1 16 16 16 2 16 17 1
CAPACITY 20'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
58 59
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 28.9
USA/CANADA 26.2 OTHER CONCACAF -
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 19.0
PLAYER SALARIES
11 1
7 7 8 1 6 2 5 6 9 2 2 2 2 2 6
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29 6 29 28 9 29
28 28 28 27 9 27 8 27 27 27 5 57 1 5 6 5 26 9 26 5 26 6 2 7 5 TOTAL SQUAD 26 2 25 7 FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
15 16 17 18 19 20 59 Governance structures at national association level
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1994 1996 USD 20m*
*The entry fee reflects the amount required to bring back MLS to San Jose in 2007. The original franchise, founded in 1994, was relocated to Houston in 2005.
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is owned by Lewis Wolff and John Fisher, the men that brought soccer back to San Jose in 2007, after the original local franchise had moved to Houston MLS CUP 2001, 2003 two years earlier. Wolff - a former minority owner of the NHL's St. Louis Blues and the NBA's Golden State Warriors and former managing partner of MLB's Oakland SUPPORTERS' Athletics - made his fortune as a real estate developer. Fisher - the son of the SHIELD founders of clothing giant Gap and founding partner of investment firm Sansome 2005, 2012 Partners - is the majority owner of the Oakland Athletics and also holds a small stake in Celtic FC (SCO).
CELTIC (SCO)
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Stevens Stadium to PayPal Park NAME PAYPAL PARK
LOCATION SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
21 INAUGURATION 2015 19 9 19 9 19 18 8 1 9 1 7 1 1 1 1 11 9 12 8 CAPACITY 18'000 9 7
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
60 61
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 26.9
USA/CANADA 23.5 OTHER CONCACAF 27.9
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 24.9
PLAYER SALARIES
10 6 8 7 2 7 5 8 2 9 2 2 5 2 1 2 5
08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
29 29 28 8 28 7 28 6 28 7 28 1 28 1 28 2 27 9 69 6 27 6 27 7 27 27 2 56 6 56 9 59 7 27 27 1 50 7 26 8 TOTAL SQUAD 26 8 7 FOREIGN
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
15 16 17 18 19 20 61 Governance structures at national association level
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2007 2009 USD 30m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club’s original group of founders included Hollywood executive Joe Roth, bu- sinessman Adrian Hanauer, actor and comedian Drew Carey and late Microsoft MLS CUP co-founder Paul Allen. Since 2015, Hanauer is the majority owner. In 2019, eleven 2016, 2019 local families joined the club under the Seattle Futbol Club LLC umbrella. Amongst others, these included Grammy Award winners Ciara and Macklemore, Seattle SUPPORTERS' Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood. P. Tomozowa SHIELD - who owns shares in NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, Swansea City (ENG) and Barns- 2014 ley (ENG) - MLB legend Ken Griffey Jr. and Tod Leiweke - CEO of NHL's Seatt- US OPEN CUP le Kraken - are amongst the additional investors that joined the club's ownership 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 group in recent years. CONFERENCE BARNSLEY (ENG), SWANSEA CITY (ENG) CHAMPIONS 2016, 2017, 2019,2020 SEATTLE KRAKEN, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
2 1 7 2 6 7 NAME LUMEN FIELD 0 6 0 2 8 5 6 2 LOCATION SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 0 9
INAUGURATION 2002
CAPACITY 37'722*
SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO
* The stadium capacity may be expanded up to 68,740 050 060 070 080 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
62 63
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 27.1
USA/CANADA 26.3 AFC 30.0 OTHER CONCACAF 25.6
CAF 18.8
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 27.1
PLAYER SALARIES
1 1 7 12 11 5 11 8 10 5 10
2 1
09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
0 29 6 29 5 29 29 29 1 28 9 28 9 28 7 28 28 28 2 28 2 68 69 6 5 27 5 27 5 27 6 57 55 5 58 1 TOTAL SQUAD 26 FOREIGN 25 7
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
63 15 16 17 18 19 20 Governance structures at national association level
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 1995 1996 USD 5m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club was taken over in 2006 by a group led by Cliff Illig and the late Neal Patter- son - the co-founders of Cerner Corporation, a supplier of healthcare information MLS CUP 2000, 2013 technology. Today, the club can count on a group of five principal owners. Besides Illig and the Patterson family, this includes Robb Heineman and Greg Maday - the SUPPORTERS' co-founders of the investment firm Rock Island Capital, as well as Pat Curran - foun- SHIELD der and principal of C3 Capital, another investment company. Jointly known as 2000 Sporting Club, the group of investors also founded a new club in the USL - the Sporting Kansas City II - and were linked to a potential takeover of Everton (ENG) US OPEN CUP in 2015. 2004, 2012, 2015,2017
___
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
Move from Field of Legends to Children's NAME CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK Mercy Park
LOCATION KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
INAUGURATION 2011 19 19 7 20 19 7 19 6 19 5 20 17 8 18 6 CAPACITY 18'467 11 1 11 6 9 7 10 7 10 1 10 SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
Values in thousands
64 65
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 26.9
USA/CANADA 25.0 OTHER CONCACAF 28.8
Two players One player
PLAYER SALARIES
11 6 12 1
6 7 6 7 5 9 5 2 5 2 6 2 6 2 2 2 9
07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played) 0 0 29 6 29 29 2
28 28 28 28 128 2 27 9 27 9 27 7 27 27 1 27 1 57 26 8 5 6 51 1 5 TOTAL SQUAD 25 7 1 FOREIGN 26 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
15 16 17 18 19 20 65 Governance structures at national association level
TORONTO FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2005 2007 USD 10m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Since 2011, the franchise has been owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment MLS CUP Ltd (MLSE), the leading group for sports and entertainment in Canada and owner 2017 of the NBA's Toronto Raptors and the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs amongst others. In 2012, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan sold its 79.53% stake in MLSE to a joint SUPPORTERS' partnership between telecommunication rivals Bell Canada and Rogers Communi- SHIELD cations in a deal valued at USD 1.32 billion. 2017
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS TORONTO RAPTORS 2016, 2019
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME BMO FIELD
LOCATION TORONTO, CANADA 26.6 27.6 26.6 25 23.4 INAUGURATION 2007 22.1 20.1 20.1 20.3 20.5 20.3 18.2 18.1 CAPACITY 30'000
SOCCER-SPECIFIC YES 050 060 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Values in thousands
66 67
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - SEASON 2020
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 27.9
USA/CANADA 23.4 OTHER CONCACAF 30.8
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 23.1
PLAYER SALARIES
26.6 24.3 22.5 22.1 21.5
16.7
6.7 7.4 5.2 4.2 4.3 2.7 2.7
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
0
29 5 29 2 28 6 28 28 28 2 28 2 28 2
27 7 27 6 27 27 27 1 TOTAL SQUAD 26 8 26 8 26 8 7 2 5 7 1 FOREIGN 26 25 27 8 USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
67 15 16 17 18 19 20 Governance structures at national association level
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2009 2011 USD 35m
CLUB OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER HONORS INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is owned by a group of four investors. Greg Kerfoot - the majority owner ___ - is a software billionaire who first in invested in the team in 2002 when it was com- peting in the lower leagues. Jeff Mallet is the founding president and COO of internet giant Yahoo! Inc. and partner in MLB's San Francisco Giants. Steve Luzco is the chairman of Seagate Technology and part owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Steve Nash is an NBA legend, current coach of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and mino- rity owner of RCD Mallorca (ESP).
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS MALLORCA (ESP)
BOSTON CELTICS
STADIUM INFO & EVOLUTION OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCES
NAME BC PLACE
LOCATION VANCOUVER, CANADA
22 21 21 9 INAUGURATION 1983* 20 19 5 20 20 20 5 19 5
CAPACITY 22'120
SOCCER-SPECIFIC NO 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
* The stadium underwent major renovations in 2011 Values in thousands
68 69
PLAYER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY - 2020 SQUAD
Club-trained players Players recruited from North America Players recruited from abroad
Location of players' prior club (when not recruited from North America) and average age at the time of recruitment (by region of players' prior club)
UEFA 25.7
USA/CANADA 26.6 AFC 22.4 OTHER CONCACAF 27.0
CAF 21.2
Two players One player
CONMEBOL 25.1
PLAYER SALARIES
8 1 8 1 8 2 6 6 9 5 2 8 5 2
11 12 1 1 15 16 17 18 19
PLAYER STATISTICS
Minutes (as % of the total) played by foreign players Average ages per players' origin (2015-2020) (calculations based on the total minutes played)
28 28 27 7 27 8 27 5 27 27 2 7 2 26 9 26 9 26 26 62 8 26 2 60 59 25 9 5 9 55 8 25 6 TOTAL SQUAD 25 2
FOREIGN 2 1
USA/CAN
15 16 17 18 19 20 15 16 17 18 19 20
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AUSTIN FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2019 2021 USD 150m
OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS STADIUM INFO
The club's founder and owner is Jay Anthony Precourt Jr. Formerly the owner of the Austin FC are expected to inaugurate Columbus Crew, he is the managing partner of Precourt Capital Management - a their new 20,500-seat soccer-specific private investment firm - and CEO of Two Oak Ventures, the parent company that stadium on June 19th, 2021. Naming operates Austin FC. The ownership group of the club also comprises of six local rights to the venue were awarded investors: Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey, former Dell Technologies pre- in January 2021 to Q2 holdings, an sident Marius Haas, Pixiu Investments founder Eddie Margai, Parsley Energy foun- Austin-based company specialized in der Bryan Sheffield, Colina West managing partner David Kahn and entrepreneur digital solutions for banking and len- and investor Tony Neugebauer. ding.
CHARLOTTE FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2019 2022 USD 325m
OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER STADIUM INFO INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
Charlotte FC is owned by David Tepper, the founder of global hedge fund Appa- Charlotte FC will play its home ga- loosa Management - one of the most preeminent in the world - owner of the NFL's mes at the Bank of America stadium. Carolina Panthers and former minority shareholder in the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. Home of NFL's Carolina Panthers With an estimated net worth of USD 13 billion he was named America's second since 1996, the 76,000-seat stadium richest sports owner by Forbes in 2020. The reported USD 325 million-expansion will reportedly be scaled down to a fee agreed by Charlotte FC represents the highest amount ever paid to join the capacity of about 40,000 for MLS ga- MLS. mes.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
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SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE *As of April 2021, Sacramento's expansion team is still on indefinite 2019 2023* USD 200m hold.
OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER STADIUM INFO INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
As of April 2021, the club is looking for new investors after Ron Burkle - already the As part as the successful bid to join owner of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins - decided to back out of his involvement the MLS, the club had plans for a due to 'issues with the project related to covid-19'. Burkle, who built his fortune new soccer-specific stadium to be through supermarket chains and later invested in high-tech and entertainment, built in Sacramento's Railyards area. was supposed to be the club's majority investor in an ownership group that also The project appears to be currently included Kevin Nagle - the co-founder of healthcare company EnvisionRx and in- on hold, as the club faces uncertainty vestor in NBA's Sacramento Kings - and Hollywood film producer Matt Alvarez. over its future in the league.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
ST.LOUIS CITY SC
MLS ADMISSION MLS DEBUT ENTRY FEE 2019 2023 USD 200m
OWNERSHIP INFO & OWNERS' OTHER STADIUM INFO INVESTMENTS IN SPORTS TEAMS
The club is controlled by the Taylor and Kavanaugh families. Led by Carolyn Kindle The club's new stadium is currently Betz, St.Louis SC will be the first female majority-owned club in MLS history. The under construction in an area located Taylor family owns Enterprise Holdings - the rental car services giant that ranks 12th near downtown St. Louis. The new in the Forbes list of America's largest private companies, with USD 22.5 billion in venue, which will have a capacity of revenue in 2020. Jim Kavanaugh is the co-founder and CEO of World Wide Tech- 22,500 is expected to open doors in nology, a part owner of the NHL's St.Louis Blues and previously CEO of the USL's March 2023. St. Louis FC.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
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