How two new clubs, Atlanta United and LAFC, in MLS embraced the 3.0 model and became the giants in the league from spending, relevance and marketing. Sources: Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank for the Entreprenuer https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197614 Home Depot Founder To Buy Falcons by the AP https://www.wired.com/2001/12/home-depot-founder-to-buy-falcons/ Falcons Owner Puts In Bid For MLS Franchise https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-10-14-4126789750_x.htm Atlanta Might Be Considered By Potential MLS Owner by Doug Roberson https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-may-consid ..read more

How passionate fans of the Columbus Crew organized, protested and eventually saved the Crew and what it means to be a fan moving forward. Sources:   Shout out to Keith Naas @Knass who helped proofread the outline How Columbus #SavedTheCrew by Arlo Moore-Bloom https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/11/08/columbus-crew-mls-save-the-crew Precourt takes thoughtful approach in Remaking the Crew https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/07/27/Franchises/Anthony-Precourt.aspx Columbus Crew Angling Toward Relocation in 2019 by Grant Wahl https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/10/17/columbu ..read more

Neetol takes over host duties. Tutul tells the story of how a failed lawsuit established the backbone of the MLS business model - single entity. Neetol explains that MLS is basically like Applebees. Sources: An Oral History of Major League Soccer’s Frenzied First Season by Doug Sibor for Complex Magazine:  https://www.complex.com/sports/2015/05/oral-history-major-league-soccer-first-season How MLS Single Entity Status Works and Its Relationship with Antitrust Law by Terry Brenna in Law In Sport:  https://www.lawinsport.com/content/articles/item/how-mls-single-entity-status-works-a ..read more

How the MLS team in Kansas City went from being last in attendance and fan engagement to being a model MLS franchise that's always sold out - one of the best turnarounds in all of sports. Sources: Special thanks to Mike McGrew and Mike Kuhn Lamar Hunt Sells MLS Wizards to Local Group http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/soccer/id/2567849 Serious Investment and Savvy Marketing Revive Soccer In Kansas City by Sam Borden https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/sports/soccer/soccer-in-the-us-heartland-kansas-city-transformed.html As expected City Council Gives Approval to Three Trail Project http ..read more

How the business plan and strategy that saved the league also came with a bad side: the relocation of a storied franchise. Luckily it works out in the long run for the San Jose Earthquakes.  Sources: What now for Columbus? Learning From the Earthquakes Relocation And Retrun by Scott French for Four Four Two https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/what-now-columbus-crew-history-san-jose-earthquakes-relocation-houston-return Earthquakes Look At Houston by Graham Jones for LA Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-nov-16-sp-mls16-story.html Houston a Contender To Land MLS Tea ..read more

How MLS's first true star to penetrate pop culture came in a 14 year old, Freddy Adu in 2004. Sources: A 12-YEAR OLD’s AMAZING FEAT by Jason La Canfora for Washington Post.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/08/25/a-12-year-olds-amazing-feat/9923da6b-4f3d-4f9a-bd31-bb67449c437f/ READY FOR FREDDY? AT 14, FREDDY ADU IS ALREADY THE HIGHEST PAID AND MOST CELEBRATED PLAYER IN MLS by Grant Wahl for Sports Illustrated:  https://www.si.com/vault/2004/03/29/366282/ready-for-freddy-at-14-freddy-adu-is-already-the-highest-paid-and-most-celebrated-player-in-mls-now-its-time ..read more

The brothers talk about the most important meeting in Major League Soccer history. Sources:  Garber Opens Up on SUM’s role in US Soccer / MLS by Grant Wahl for SI https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/01/25/sum-soccer-united-marketing-garber-gulati-carter MLS goes to near extinction to remarkable success by Kevin Baxter for LA times - https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-soccer-baxter-20151206-story.html Don Garber “Truly an Honor” by German Sferra for US Soccer https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2018/10/don-garber-truly-an-honor An Insider Look on Why Billionaires Buy Into money losing ..read more

How the largest signing in league history, David Beckham, happened in the first place and how it changed the direction of MLS forever. The brothers talk about how and why the Designated Player happened, how Blanco was the better player in the early years and why it took a few years before everyone started to spend money on Designated Players. Sources: Looking back at fires last big signing by Guillermo Rivera for Chicago Now http://www.chicagonow.com/fire-confidential/2017/05/looking-back-at-the-fires-last-big-signing-in-2007-cuauhtemoc-blanco/ Soccer Player Beckham Sparks $13m in Sales by ..read more

An early BONUSODE at the pods halfway point.  The brothers discuss the state of the pod and give shoutouts (04:10), talk about Gressel and Chicharito (13:55), and close with comparing the players in this January camp vs the team that lost in Trinidad in 2017 (29:15 ..read more

Early MLS had some weird rules. No ties. Running shootouts. Clocks going up and not down. 4th subs for goalkeepers.  What's weirder were some of the rules they were looking at, like bigger goals or kick-ins instead of throw ins.  Listen to how Don Garber, the internet and Bob Bradley each had a hand in ending those rules. Sources:  https://www.complex.com/sports/2015/05/oral-history-major-league-soccer-first-season An Oral History of Major League Soccer’s Frenzied First Season by Doug Sibor https://taleoftwohalves.uk/featured/rise-fall-golden-goal  The Rise and Fall of Th ..read more