December 5 – The ‘Don’ of Major League Soccer (MLS), commissioner Don Garber, has had his contract extended to the end of the 2027 MLS season by the board of governors.
Garber (pictured), who recently celebrated his silver anniversary (25 years) as MLS supremo, had been in negotiations about a new deal. Financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed, which in the age of exploding franchise fees for joining the ever-expanding league is a little surprising when financial transparency is a key component in the world of big-money sports.
Garber, 67, is widely credited as the saviour of the league keeping the ship afloat during the 2001 season when contraction almost killed the league a mere five years after its inception.
The commissioner was responsible for developing a business plan for a commercial business called Soccer United Marketing. SUM helped expand the league into new markets, and overseeing infrastructure proposals on new soccer specific stadiums and practice facilities.
“You go to those venues, and that’s a legacy that’s going to live for a long time,” LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal told The Athletic earlier this year. “They’re a testament to what we built here and what Don has built here. That legacy is not the end of the story. … I think the scale of the legacy grows a lot in the next five to 10 years.”
Over the next four years, the United States will host the FIFA Club World Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Olympics. The opportunity for growth has never been better.
“Our goal is to double our fan base and to do that by the years after the World Cup,” Garber told The Athletic.
“And it’s not going to be any one factor. It’s not going to be just Leo Messi coming into the league. It’s not going to be the next big player who signs. It’s never been about doing it the easy way. I think it’s lazy to think that one player is going to help us deliver on what we want MLS to be over the next three to five years.”
Within the single-entity environment of MLS, continuity is vital, and getting the ‘Don’ of American soccer committed to the platform signals to the world the current strength and long-term stability of the fastest-growing league in world football.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1734895864labto1734895864ofdlr1734895864owedi1734895864sni@o1734895864fni1734895864