The Football Economy | Episode 21 is here! 🎙️ This week I sat down with Brett M. Johnson, CEO of Benevolent Capital and Chairman of Rhode Island FC, to explore his journey as an entrepreneur and investor shaping the future of football and sports in America. Brett’s portfolio spans across continents and industries, from leading the investment group behind Ipswich Town FC in England, to founding Phoenix Rising Football Club, 2023 USL Cup Champions, and spearheading the creation of Rhode Island FC with a new $140m stadium project. Most recently, he closed on a $40m+ investment and joined the board of Surf Sports, the largest youth soccer platform in the U.S., with over 100,000 boys and girls across their clubs. 🟢 Some of the things we covered: 🟡 How his entrepreneurial family background shaped his investment philosophy 🟡 Football as a global cultural connector and community builder 🟡 Why strategic partnerships are at the heart of Benevolent Capital’s model 🟡 Building Rhode Island FC into a community hub for sport and entertainment 🟡 Making football more accessible through affordable ticketing and youth pathways 🟡 The role of promotion/relegation in boosting competitiveness in U.S. soccer If you’re interested in sports investment, community-driven club models, and the future of football in America, this episode is one you don’t want to miss. See the YouTube & Spotify links in the comment section ⬇️ #Entrepreneurship #Investing #PrivateEquity #BusinessLeadership #SportsBusiness #FootballInvestment #Soccer #USL #RhodeIslandFC

"Competition. Connection. Continuity." For former college basketball player and coach Linda , stepping away from playing wasn’t the end of the game it was a new way to stay connected to it. “When you’ve been competing your whole life, you have to find new ways to win. For me, it was staying around the game—playing in leagues, coaching, and connecting with others who shared that same love for competition.” Linda , Former College Basketball Player & Coach, on the latest episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs In this insightful conversation, Linda shares: ✅ Why athletes need to find new ways to compete after their playing days end ✅ How staying connected to sports and community helps fill the post-athletic void ✅ Why networking and connection are key to finding purpose beyond the court ✅ How coaching and mentorship keep the athlete mindset alive in new arenas You may hang up your jersey—but your drive to compete, connect, and grow never fades. 🎧 Catch the episode here: 👉 Spotify : [https://lnkd.in/euT8MckA) 📺 YouTube : https://lnkd.in/ezFhAgN5 🎙️Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey shares real stories of athletes redefining success beyond the game. 🔗 Follow @AlumniDirect for more athlete stories & transitions beyond the game. 🌐 [alumnidirect.com](https://lnkd.in/e7qw-HSn) #AthletesToEntrepreneurs #Lindamartindale #AthleteTransition #LifeAfterSports #BasketballJourney #CoachingMindset #StayConnected #BeyondTheGame #AthleteNetworking #AlumniDirect

"Competition. Connection. Continuity." For former college basketball player and coach Linda , stepping away from playing wasn’t the end of the game it was a new way to stay connected to it. “When you’ve been competing your whole life, you have to find new ways to win. For me, it was staying around the game—playing in leagues, coaching, and connecting with others who shared that same love for competition.” Linda , Former College Basketball Player & Coach, on the latest episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs In this insightful conversation, Linda shares: ✅ Why athletes need to find new ways to compete after their playing days end ✅ How staying connected to sports and community helps fill the post-athletic void ✅ Why networking and connection are key to finding purpose beyond the court ✅ How coaching and mentorship keep the athlete mindset alive in new arenas You may hang up your jersey—but your drive to compete, connect, and grow never fades. 🎧 Catch the episode here: 👉 Spotify : [https://lnkd.in/euT8MckA) 📺 YouTube : https://lnkd.in/ezFhAgN5 🎙️Athletes to Entrepreneurs: The Alumni Journey shares real stories of athletes redefining success beyond the game. 🔗 Follow @AlumniDirect for more athlete stories & transitions beyond the game. 🌐 [alumnidirect.com](https://lnkd.in/e7qw-HSn) #AthletesToEntrepreneurs #Lindamartindale #AthleteTransition #LifeAfterSports #BasketballJourney #CoachingMindset #StayConnected #BeyondTheGame #AthleteNetworking #AlumniDirect

Youth sports is growing fast. The question isn't whether your league will feel it - it's whether you're set up to handle it. We just added new sessions to the Next Play Summit (January 16–18 in Orlando) based on what operators have been asking for: real talk about community partnerships, managing multiple sports, and actually measuring your community impact. Running a league is hard work. You already know that. But it's also some of the most meaningful work happening in youth sports right now. That's why we built the Next Play Summit - a place where league operators, community leaders, and program partners can connect with people who get it, share what's actually working, and leave with practical solutions. You'll hear from folks across the NFL, NHL, MLS, NBA, MLB, and USTA, plus operators who've built and grown programs like NFL FLAG, NHL STREET, MLS GO, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Leagues, MLB Pitch, Hit & Run, and USTA Youth Tennis in their own communities. A few sessions worth checking out: • How to tell your league's story in a way that resonates with parents and partners • Strategies for strengthening operations and keeping players coming back • What nonprofit partnerships actually look like when they work • Measuring your league's impact beyond just registration numbers • Managing multiple sports without burning out or dropping quality • Roundtable conversations about the challenges we're all navigating The goal is simple: walk in with the problems you're facing, walk out with a plan you can actually use. January 16–18 | Orlando, FL Link to register in comments. #YouthSports #LeagueOperators #NextPlaySummit #RCXSports #SportsLeadership #CommunityImpact

The Rise of Emerging Sports Leagues A new wave of sports innovation is taking shape — led by entrepreneurs who are redefining what a “league” can be. These founders are building modern, media-driven, tech-enabled ecosystems around sports that were once considered niche. Some of the standout leaders: • Charles Allen – INTENNSE • Chase Richardson – Full Pull • Jake Hoselton – Grass League • Anthony Dittmann – OmegaBall • Nic Sulsky – The Curling Group • Jeff Spring – Disc Golf Pro Tour • Paul Rigault – Døds Diving League • Dr. Aron Souza – Enhanced Games • Omer Atesman – The Snow League • Alex Bazzell – Unrivaled Basketball • Johnny Grave – Major League Cricket • Alex Van Alen – World League FlingGolf • Keith Stein – Women’s Pro Baseball League • Connor Lim– International Dance League (IDL) Each of these leagues reflects the same macro trend — the unbundling of traditional sports and the rise of fan-first, format-flexible, and globally scalable competitions. From alternative formats and media-friendly rules to digital-first community building, this is where the next generation of fandom, investment, and innovation will be born. #SportsBusiness #SportsInnovation #EmergingSports #SportsTech #FanEngagement #SportsInvestment #FutureOfSports

Our football system both builds & destroys stars. Here are the reasons wonderkids fade. Football worships potential, but it rarely knows how to protect it. Like this? Sign up to our newsletter: 📲 https://lnkd.in/eP7fw-rE Clubs now invest millions in players before they’ve even turned 18, but the infrastructure around those players hasn’t evolved at the same pace. Media exposure, social validation, and financial pressure arrive years before emotional maturity does. That’s the primary flaw in modern talent development: football has industrialised youth scouting but not human growth. The best examples of “failed wonderkids” are caused by system failure rather than lack of ability: 🇺🇸 Freddy Adu wasn’t ready for fame. 🇪🇸 Bojan broke under pressure. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Ravel Morrison was a product of instability. 🇲🇦 Mastour was marketed before he matured. 🇧🇷 Pato’s body couldn’t match the acceleration of his hype. Each story exposes a reality the sport doesn’t like to face: talent is fragile, and football’s understanding development is now one of the most valuable skills in modern football. 📩 For more deep insights into the business, psychology, and strategy of sport, follow The Game Plan newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eP7fw-rE

Jürgen Klopp recently praised the quality of MLS, but his bigger point should hit us harder: we’re still missing the best talent because youth soccer in the U.S. is too expensive. The ceiling isn’t skill. The ceiling is cost. A single elite youth player can cost $8,500–$20,000 a year. That’s not just a burden on families, it’s an innovation block. It’s an equity crisis. And it’s keeping America from producing its best possible players. 👉 The pay-to-play model isn’t giving us the best athletes. It’s giving us the best-funded athletes. This is the “long-term project” Klopp referenced and for founders, operators, and leaders in the sports space, I see it as a call to action. 1. Innovate the Model - Stop taxing families. Redirect sponsorship dollars into scholarships and coach education. - Use tech to scale development — turn $10,000 worth of coaching into $100 of access. - Share community assets: schools, parks, fields. The infrastructure exists. Use it. 2. Professionalize the Grassroots - Certify and support every parent/volunteer coach with quality training. - Reward retention and diversity, not just win rates and tournament trophies. 3. Solve for Equity in Talent ID - The next superstar may never step foot in an academy because of cost. Build scouting pipelines that remove all financial and logistical barriers for overlooked players. The future of American sports isn’t about selling luxury access. It’s about building systems that are more open, more competitive, and ultimately better. If you’re building in this space, this is the mandate: stop treating youth sports like a luxury product and start designing it as a platform for excellence. TeamSnap TeamLinkt Heja Playermaker FCNE (FC National Elite)

The Business of U.S. Soccer: MLS vs. USL + Women’s Leagues • Focus: U.S. professional soccer landscape (men’s & women’s). • Leagues: • Men’s: MLS, USL Championship, League One, League Two • Women’s: NWSL, USL Super League, USL W League • Core themes: structure, models, finance, media, attendance, and promotion/relegation. League Structure Men’s Soccer: • Division 1: Major League Soccer (MLS) • Division 2: USL Championship • Division 3: USL League One • Pre-Professional: USL League Two Women’s Soccer: • Division 1: National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) & USL Super League (launched 2024) • Pre-Professional: USL W League League Models • MLS (Closed): Single-entity system, centralized control, no promotion/relegation, costly entry, predictable but less dynamic. • USL (Open): Independent clubs, local autonomy, lower costs, flexible model, building toward promotion/relegation. Expansion & Costs • MLS ~$500M USL Championship ~$20M League One ~$5–10M NWSL ~$110M USL Super League TBD • Operating costs: MLS $50–100M+, USL Championship $5–15M, League One $4–6M, NWSL $10–25M. Revenue & Media • Income: tickets, media rights, sponsorships, merchandise, matchday. • Avg ticket: MLS $30–80 | USL $18–35 | NWSL $20–45 • Media: MLS–Apple TV ($2.5B, 2023–2032); USL–CBS/ESPN; NWSL–$240M (2024–27) CBS/ESPN/Amazon/ION. Attendance (2024–25) • MLS ~23K NWSL ~11K USL Championship ~5.5K League One ~3K. Promotion/Relegation (USL) • Pilot system (Championship ↔ League One) targeted for 2027–28; aims for merit-based growth and fan engagement. Strategic Differences • Closed (MLS): centralized, predictable, high entry cost, stable but static, no relegation. • Open (USL): local autonomy, flexible, affordable, growth-driven, higher risk. Women’s Leagues • NWSL leads in reach & revenue. • USL Super League: new D1 rival (2024). • USL W: developmental pathway. Future (2025–2032) • 2025–26: MLS/NWSL expansion, media growth. • 2027–28: USL promotion/relegation pilot. • 2032+: MLS–Apple renewal, expanded open pyramid. Takeaways • U.S. soccer evolving into a multi-tier system. • USL driving open-league innovation. • Women’s soccer in commercial expansion. • Media diversification and community models fueling sustainable growth.

In this episode of The One Soccer Nation (OSN) Podcast, I sit down with Sean De Palma- MS, CPRE, CSSGB, Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Brownsville, Texas, to explore why the city is perfectly positioned to welcome professional soccer. Brownsville is experiencing a renaissance—driven by economic growth, infrastructure investments, and a strong cultural foundation where soccer thrives as the #1 sport. With city leadership championing collaboration through the One City model and land ready for mixed-use development, Brownsville is building a future where professional sports can flourish. Sean shares insights on the city’s grassroots soccer culture, the role of community partners, and how major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup will accelerate growth. This conversation highlights Brownsville’s commitment to enhancing quality of life, fostering economic stability, and creating a welcoming environment for fans, players, and investors alike. Key Takeaways: - Brownsville is uniquely positioned to support professional soccer through strong leadership and available land. - Soccer is the city’s dominant sport, with passionate youth and adult participation. - The One City model drives collaboration across departments and community partners. - Economic growth and infrastructure improvements are fueling a city-wide renaissance. - Mixed-use development projects aim to strengthen community engagement and quality of life. - Leadership is committed to welcoming professional sports as part of the city’s future. - The World Cup and other events will create new opportunities for engagement and growth. - Long-term success means economic stability and improved quality of life for residents. 👉 Watch Here: https://lnkd.in/gXqJJgXy

#SiliconSlopes Conversations with Wade Martin, VP of Corporate Partnerships for #RealSaltLake and #MillerSports (10/10/2025) Wade shared some fantastic insights on the breakdown of sports, business, and tech right here in Utah. For anyone curious about what's next for our state's sports scene, this was a must-hear talk. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways from the discussion: The Intersection of Tech and Sports Big news! Silicon Slopes is officially launching a Sports Business Chapter, and Wade is leading the charge. The goal is to make Utah a national blueprint for how our booming tech industry and passionate sports culture can collaborate and drive innovation together. Utah is "Punching Above Its Weight" Why does a state of just over three million people have such a vibrant pro sports scene? Wade's take: We're a two-time Olympic market, our business scene is #1 in the nation, and we're constantly pushing for more (hello, Major League Baseball push!). We have a unique, tight-knit community that shows up and supports its teams. Sponsorships are More Than a "Logo Slap" Wade gave a great peek behind the curtain of sports sponsorships. He explained that it's not just about getting a logo on a scoreboard. The real value is in the activation—using the partnership to build brand awareness, drive revenue, and become a true business partner. These are complex, long-term deals that can take up to two years to finalize. The Meteoric Rise of Women's Sports He's incredibly bullish on the future of women's sports, especially the NWSL's Utah Royals. He sees a massive, untapped opportunity for brands to get involved now and be a part of the incredible growth happening in leagues like the NWSL and WNBA. It's an exciting time to be at the crossroads of tech and sports in Utah. Which Utah tech company would you love to see sponsor a local team? #UtahBusiness #SportsBiz