The Bundesliga signed a 17-year partnership with Relevent Sports to boost their performance in the U.S. market and the broader Americas market. What is the strategy for the German league as they seek to enhance their business performance and profile in the Americas? Robin Austermann, head of Europe and Latam for the Bundesliga joins Simon Evans on The Soccer Business Podcast to break down that deal and the overall strategy for standing out in a crowded market of international soccer properties looking to establish themselves in the U.S market.

Alan Rothenberg was the President of US Soccer and took charge of the hosting of the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He then helped set up Major League Soccer and has been an influential figure in taking the game from the backwaters of the 1980's to the modern era.

Alan's new book, 'The Big Bounce - The Surge that Shaped the Future of U.S Soccer' is the inside story on the hosting of the 1994 World Cup and he joins host Simon Evans to discuss the book and his remarkable career as a true game-changer in the American soccer business.

This episode reviews the key decisions from the MLS Board of Governors meeting: MLS content will move from Season Pass into the Apple TV subscription bundle, and the league will shift to a new summer-to-spring calendar starting in 2027 with a transitional mini "sprint" season.

Host Simon Evans and guest Alex Silverman of the Sports Business Journal discuss the rationale behind the Apple deal changes, potential audience and revenue implications, how the new schedule affects transfer windows and players, and unanswered questions on playoffs, contract length and distribution.