latest articles by Christopher Harris
TV
/ 218 days agoApple TV's MLS gamble backfires: Record-low final viewership
Reporter John Ourand, a two-decade veteran of Sports Business Journal and the leading sports TV industry insider in the United States, suggests that Apple TV's MLS viewership for the 2024 final was as low as 65,000 viewers on MLS Season Pass. Ourand, who now writes for the sports industry newsletter Puck, added that the game […]
News
/ 220 days agoOrlando wants to host soccer events in lead-up to LA28 Olympics
One of the memorable scenes during the 2024 Summer Olympics, which were hosted in Paris, France, was seeing the surfing competition happening 9,700 miles away in Tahiti. The footage was spectacular, and it made sense to have the surfers compete there in French Polynesia instead of trying to find a less-than-suitable location off the coast […]
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/ 224 days agoOrlando bullish on FIFA Club World Cup plans for city
Orlando, Florida, is a mecca for tourists, and soon, it will be a destination for soccer fans as they descend on the city for a major sporting event: FIFA Club World Cup 2025. At next summer's FIFA Club World Cup, Orlando will host six games, including four Group Stage matches, one Round of 16 game, […]
TV
/ 227 days agoAlan Shearer on Alexi Lalas, Gary Lineker and St James' Park
I had the privilege this week to catch up with Premier League all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer to discuss a range of topics. We discussed Gary Lineker's legacy on BBC's Match of the Day program, Alan's memories of being marked by Alexi Lalas in a US-England match, as well as his opinions about the future […]
TV
/ 228 days agoDAZN acquiring Club World Cup rights is a deal made for TV
DAZN has come to the rescue of FIFA by agreeing to a reported $1 billion deal to acquire the exclusive global broadcast rights to next summer's Club World Cup. The UK-based streaming service, which has made losses of several billion dollars, plans to broadcast all 63 games for free. The FIFA Club World Cup, which […]
News
/ 233 days agoVideo of Messi's new Inter Miami stadium reveals major progress
Inter Miami is racing against time to have its new stadium named Miami Freedom Park ready before the end of 2025 when Messi's current contract ends with MLS. As of press time, Messi has made no indication that he plans to extend his contract. However, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas remains optimistic that Messi will […]
News
/ 233 days agoUS Soccer backs down from birth year change for youth soccer
Following last month's report that US Soccer was considering a plan to break up youth soccer teams based on birth year, a new report reveals that the US Soccer Federation has backed down and will leave it up to the individual leagues to decide. The proposed reversal would have changed the age groups for soccer. […]
TV
/ 235 days agoNWSL takes bite out of MLS’ Apple viewership with record number
Timing is everything. Just ask the NWSL and MLS. NWSL, which runs almost identically to MLS as a single-entity closed league, is benefitting from a rise of interest in women’s sports and better luck with the timing of its deals. Formed in 2012, the women’s league has evolved on a similar path to MLS as […]
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/ 236 days agoWhy watching Champions League is better in US than Germany
One of the best parts about traveling abroad is that you often discover new things you’ve never seen or experienced before. Vice-versa, you also learn to appreciate the better things in life that you find stateside (Europe, I'm looking at you, and the lack of free, public restrooms). On the subject of soccer, however, there […]
News
/ 236 days agoRB Leipzig’s international push continues after successful US tour: Interview with Johann Plenge
Bundesliga club RB Leipzig continues to focus on prioritizing internationalization as part of its strategy. Building off this past summer’s successful U.S. tour where the club played matches against Aston Villa and Wolves in New Jersey and Florida, the United States remains a priority for RB Leipzig as it expands its appeal to both fans […]
News
/ 240 days agoUSA and beyond: Bayern Munich's search for the next Musiala
Bayern Munich has long been a powerhouse on and off the pitch in Germany. Through wealthy sponsorship deals with German giants such as Adidas, Deutsche Telekom, Allianz, and Audi, the Bavarian club has dominated German soccer with annual revenues of $895 million. In comparison, rival Bayer Leverkusen, last year’s winners of the Bundesliga title, has […]
TV
/ 240 days agoHow Comcast spinning off USA Network will impact EPL games
Comcast's announcement this week that the media giant plans to spin off a string of cable TV channels, including USA Network, caught many by surprise. But while the television industry debates whether this is a smart move or not, a bigger question has emerged for soccer fans in the United States. How will this decision […]
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/ 249 days agoGermany’s love affair with the NFL and the struggle to play Bundesliga games abroad
The influence of America in Germany continues to expand at an enormous rate. So much so that American football is now the fastest-growing sport in Germany. Exhibit A of America’s influence in Europe is this past weekend’s game between the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers. Both teams played a regular-season NFL game in front […]
News
/ 263 days agoBundesliga club doesn't rule out playing games overseas
RB Leipzig Managing Director Johann Plenge, who has been with the club since it was in the fifth tier of German soccer, has opened up about the possibility of Bundesliga clubs playing league games abroad in a revealing new interview. Ask any fan of a Bundesliga club which league is most likely to play league […]
News
/ 265 days ago5 biggest misconceptions about RB Leipzig
For a club that was founded in 2009, RB Leipzig has come a long way. It began as a partnership with fifth-tier SSV Markranstädt, who Red Bull bought the playing rights from, ultimately changing the club name to RB Leipzig. Intending to reach the Bundesliga in eight years through the promotion/relegation system, RB Leipzig did […]