Finance of Football

Created and hosted by The Athletic's Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé, Finance of Football is a podcast focused on The Business of the Beautiful Game. While football is the most popular sport on the planet, it hasn’t witnessed the same success in the United States … yet. But with the 2024 Copa América, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics coming to the country and continent, the money and interest in the game is expected to reach unprecedented heights and could be the catalyst that brings football to the forefront in the U.S. Each episode, we not only discuss and debate the how, but, more importantly, the why around the biggest topics, themes and trends in football, particularly in the U.S., while being joined by guests who can lend their expertise and experience to the conversation. Thanks for listening! – Asli and Michael

Finance of Football is a sports podcast hosted by The Athletic's Asli Pelit, with 75 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

The Athletic's Asli Pelit hosts Finance of Football, a sports show with 75 episodes published.

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  Episode #77

  Is Soccer’s Betting Boom About to Backfire?

  Sep 8, 202622 min

  Is soccer’s betting boom about to backfire? The Premier League has entered a new era. Betting companies can no longer appear as front-of-shirt sponsors after clubs agreed to phase out gambling brands from that prime piece of commercial real estate. But gambling has not disappeared from English soccer. Betting companies can still sponsor sleeves and training kits, while clubs search for technology, finance and other brands capable of replacing millions of pounds in gambling sponsorship revenue. Meanwhile, American sports are moving in the opposite direction. Since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, legalized sports betting has expanded rapidly across the United States, with leagues and teams increasingly partnering with companies including FanDuel, Fanatics and other betting operators. MLS clubs have signed sportsbook partnerships, the NWSL has entered the betting market and gambling has become increasingly embedded in the way American fans consume sports. But does betting genuinely create better fan engagement? Or is American soccer building a potentially dangerous relationship with gambling just as English football begins pulling back? In this episode of Finance of Football, Michael and Asli examine how gambling became such a major part of the soccer business and why the UK and US now appear to be heading in different directions. They discuss the commercial value of betting sponsorships, the relationship between gambling and fan engagement and the growing concern around gambling addiction, particularly among younger fans. The conversation also explores the rapid rise of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. These platforms argue that users are predicting outcomes rather than betting against a traditional sportsbook. But when fans can put money on the outcome of sporting events, where exactly does prediction end and gambling begin? Michael and Asli also examine the integrity risks surrounding sports betting, including athletes gambling on their own leagues, access to inside information and why leagues must carefully control which events users are allowed to wager on. The UK appears to have reached a point where soccer had become too closely connected to gambling. Could the United States eventually reach the same conclusion? And as prediction markets become increasingly involved in soccer, are regulators prepared for what comes next? Listen now to Finance of Football. --- For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram Asli - @brefootcontessa Michael - @michale.lore And follow the show… On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod On Facebook - /financeoffootball --- Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is… Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky --- Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports , a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #76

  Is Pay-to-Play Holding US Soccer Back?

  Aug 31, 202632 min

  Is pay-to-play holding US soccer back? Youth sports in America has become a $40 billion industry. For families trying to navigate elite youth soccer, the costs can quickly reach thousands of dollars every year once club fees, tournaments, showcases, additional training and travel are included. But despite millions of registered youth soccer players across the country, only a tiny percentage will ever reach the professional game. So is America’s youth soccer system actually helping develop the country’s best players? Or is pay-to-play preventing talented kids from ever getting the opportunity? In this episode of Finance of Football, Michael and Asli are joined by Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia, co-hosts of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, to break down the complicated business of American youth soccer. They discuss why the system has become so fragmented, the growing role of private equity and why families are spending increasingly large amounts of money chasing opportunities in college and professional soccer. They also examine some of the biggest structural differences between the United States and traditional soccer nations. Why are elite academies in Europe often heavily subsidized while American families are expected to fund much of the development pathway themselves? Does the size of the United States make a European-style system unrealistic? Could sponsorship, investment and fully funded academies reduce the financial barrier? And does American soccer need a clearer pyramid connecting youth clubs, professional teams and the wider game? The conversation also looks at the college soccer pathway, player burnout, promotion and relegation and why the US women historically enjoyed advantages that helped turn the USWNT into a global powerhouse. Ultimately, pay-to-play may only be one part of the problem. If the United States wants to consistently compete with the world’s biggest soccer nations, does the entire development system need to change? Listen now to Finance of Football. --- For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram Asli - @brefootcontessa Michael - @michale.lore And follow the show… On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod On Facebook - /financeoffootball --- Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is… Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky --- Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports , a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #75

  NWSL vs USL: Which Is the Better Investment in U.S. Soccer?

  Aug 24, 202626 min

  If you had millions to invest in U.S. soccer today, would you choose the NWSL or the USL? That’s the debate at the center of this episode of Finance of Football. Asli is investing in the NWSL. Michael is putting his money into the USL. So who has the better investment? The NWSL has experienced extraordinary growth, with rising franchise valuations, major expansion fees, some of the best women’s soccer players in the world and a landmark media rights deal. But getting into the league is becoming increasingly expensive. Columbus’ new NWSL franchise reportedly cost $205 million just for the expansion fee. The USL offers a very different proposition. The barrier to entry is significantly lower, clubs can build strong identities in underserved local markets, and the launch of USL Premier in 2028 will introduce a new Division One league alongside a promotion and relegation system. Could that create something American professional soccer has never really had before? In this episode, Michael and Asli debate: • NWSL vs USL as an investment opportunity • Why NWSL franchise valuations are rising so quickly • The scarcity value of owning an NWSL team • Why women’s sports revenues continue to grow • The importance of sponsorship and media rights • Whether NWSL expansion fees are becoming too expensive • Why Michael believes promotion and relegation could transform the USL • The advantages of owning a soccer club in a smaller U.S. market • How USL clubs build grassroots communities and distinctive brands • The risks facing investors in both leagues • What USL Premier could mean for the future of American soccer • Where the biggest opportunity in U.S. soccer might be after the 2026 World Cup The NWSL offers scarcity, elite talent and enormous commercial growth potential. The USL offers a cheaper entry point, local market opportunities and a completely different vision for the American soccer pyramid. So if it were your money, where would you invest: NWSL or USL? Tell us in the comments. And subscribe to Finance of Football for more on the money, ownership, media and business shaping soccer in the United States and around the world. --- For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram Asli - @brefootcontessa Michael - @michale.lore And follow the show… On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod On Facebook - /financeoffootball --- Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is… Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky --- Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports , a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #74

  What Happens to MLS If Messi Leaves Early?

  Aug 17, 202622 min

  Lionel Messi was always going to leave Major League Soccer eventually. But what happens if that moment comes earlier than expected? Following the death of his father Jorge — his longtime agent, manager and one of the most important figures in his career — Messi has expressed doubts about how much longer he wants to continue playing. If that means the Messi era in MLS ends sooner than planned, the consequences could extend far beyond Inter Miami. Since arriving in the United States, Messi has transformed the economics of Major League Soccer. Inter Miami’s local revenues more than quadrupled. Ticket demand surged across the league. Sponsors wanted to be associated with MLS when Messi came to town. And he gave the league a global superstar capable of attracting audiences far beyond the United States. But that success has created a much bigger question: How much of the MLS boom belongs to the league, and how much belongs to Lionel Messi? Michael LoRé and Asli Pelit break down what an early Messi exit could mean for the next phase of MLS. What happens to sponsorship and advertising without the most marketable player in world football? Can MLS retain the fans who arrived because of Messi? How much harder does the league’s next media rights negotiation become without him? And if MLS believes it needs another global superstar, is there anyone — from Erling Haaland to Vinícius Júnior — capable of creating the same commercial impact? But there is another side to the argument. Could Messi leaving actually force MLS to become stronger? Without one player dominating the attention around the league, clubs may have to invest more heavily in local identity, stadium experience, community and long-term fan loyalty. Messi helped take MLS somewhere it had never been before. Now the question is whether MLS has built something that can continue growing without him. --- For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram Asli - @brefootcontessa Michael - @michale.lore And follow the show… On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod On Facebook - /financeoffootball --- Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is… Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky --- Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports , a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #73

  Is Gianni Infantino Losing Control of FIFA? | MLS Names Larry Berg

  Aug 10, 202629 min

  Is Gianni Infantino beginning to lose control of FIFA? And what will Larry Berg change when he takes over Major League Soccer? After a decade of expanding FIFA’s competitions, revenues and global influence, Gianni Infantino is facing one of the most serious challenges to his leadership. A controversial proposal to create a new FIFA commercial enterprise and sell a minority stake to outside investors has triggered opposition from some of football’s most powerful organizations. UEFA pushed back. Concacaf raised concerns. FIFA Council members questioned why they had not been properly consulted. And suddenly, a FIFA president who has spent years consolidating power is facing questions about how that power is being used. In this episode of Finance of Football, Michael and Asli examine the politics and economics behind the crisis. Why did FIFA want outside investment in its World Cup business? What could billions of dollars in new capital mean for FIFA’s 211 member associations? Why has transparency become such a major issue? Could opposition inside global football actually threaten Infantino’s position? And ahead of FIFA’s next presidential election, is there anyone capable of challenging him? Then the conversation turns to another major leadership change. Major League Soccer has officially named Larry Berg as the successor to longtime commissioner Don Garber . Berg, an LAFC co-owner with decades of experience in private equity and sports investment, will inherit an MLS that looks radically different from the league Garber took over in 1999. The challenge is no longer survival. It is growth. Can MLS become one of the world’s leading domestic soccer leagues? Can it build on the attention generated by Lionel Messi and the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Can Berg secure the media distribution and broadcast revenues MLS needs to compete for the world’s best players? And how far can the league change its salary cap and roster rules without undermining the financial model that helped create billion-dollar club valuations? Michael and Asli also discuss the future of the Apple relationship, international stars including Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, the debate around promotion and relegation, expansion fees and whether MLS can realistically become the sixth-best league in world football. FIFA and MLS are entering very different battles. One organization is questioning how much power its president should have. The other has just chosen the man it believes can take the league to the next level. Is Gianni Infantino’s grip on FIFA beginning to weaken? And can Larry Berg deliver MLS 3.0? Listen now to Finance of Football. --- For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram Asli - @brefootcontessa Michael - @michale.lore And follow the show… On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod On Facebook - /financeoffootball --- Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is… Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky --- Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports , a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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