ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the successful marketing practices of the Major League Soccer (MLS) while examining some of the distinct structural features of the MLS such as the Designated Player Rule and salary cap. It includes interviews of MLS marketing executives and provides recommendations of sales and marketing tactics for soccer professionals and sport marketing students. The MLS National Sales Training Center opened in Blaine, Minnesota, in 2010, and the first cohort had 175 applicants for approximately 20 available positions. The MLS recently announced a partnership from 2015– 2018 with Fox Sports Africa to broadcast live MLS games in Sub-Saharan Africa. New soccer specific stadiums have been a key aspect of the MLS securing international television deals and demonstrating that the league offers a quality product. The chapter presents information from interviews of key MLS marketing and sales executives. It outlines a few potential lessons for current or future European Soccer Professionals.
