STORIES BY kyle fansler
TV
/ todayESPN unveils special programming for first El Clasico of season
The first El Clasico matchup between Real Madrid and Barcelona will have special programming via ESPN this weekend. With the two sides locked in an early title race in LaLiga, this tense game is pivotal for the title race this season. Additionally, it is the first chance to see Kylian Mbappe go up against Barcelona […]
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/ todayArsenal explores the potential of Emirates Stadium expansion
Arsenal is the latest club to begin the process of analyzing the costs and benefits of stadium expansion at the Emirates. Recently, top clubs in the Premier League and Europe have developed their stadiums to accommodate more fans and develop the matchday experience. Much of this relates to matchday revenue. In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal […]
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/ todayUS Soccer plots massive change that would affect youth system
The fractured youth system in US Soccer is subject to yet another change with the risk of breaking up existing teams. On Nov. 22, US Soccer will put a new ruling into effect that changes the age groups for soccer. Currently, the cutoff for each year is Jan. 1. In other words, those born from […]
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/ 1 day agoWomen's soccer players target FIFA to end Saudi sponsorship
Hundreds of professional women's soccer players have signed a letter calling for FIFA to end a sponsorship deal with a Saudi oil company. In April, FIFA signed a sponsorship deal with Aramco. That oil company has 98.5% state ownership, meaning the government of Saudi Arabia owns the company. In a way, it is FIFA entering […]
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/ 1 day agoVirgil van Dijk confirms ongoing Liverpool contract talks
After defeating Chelsea this past weekend to return to the Premier League mountaintop, Virgil van Dijk announced he is in contract negotiations. As things stand, the Dutchman's contract at Anfield expires at the end of the 2024/25 season. However, Liverpool executive Richard Hughes is in conversations with Van Dijk's representatives to keep the center-back at […]
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/ 1 day agoCAF faces new scandal as governing body has $16 million missing
An audit into the Confederation of African Football, or CAF, found unmarked expenses that totaled $16 million in another scandal. Official accounts and expenditure reports failed to mention $16 million in spending. Those financial numbers apply to the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2023. Consequently, there are new musings and reports of scandal […]
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/ 1 day agoMLS urges borders to be protected to block foreign leagues
As foreign leagues inch closer to playing competitively in the United States, MLS commission Don Garber is playing defense. As the top soccer division in the United States, Major League Soccer has worked to grow its domestic audience. The principal competition has always been the domestic and continental leagues in Europe. These teams in the […]
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/ 1 day agoTop English clubs may skip Premier League's US Summer Series
The Premier League is working to bring the Summer Series friendly competition back in 2025, but it faces major hurdles. In the summer of 2023, the competition debuted with six Premier League teams each playing three friendlies in the United States. However, for the summer of 2025, no Premier League teams have committed to the […]
TV
/ 4 days agoPremier League commentators on NBC: October 19 to 21
In its return from the October international break, the Premier League brings fans a full slate of games that spreads across three days. Viewers will have access to a London derby, relegation clashes and a fascinating contest at Anfield. All of the games are available on the NBC family of networks, with four exclusive to […]
TV
/ 4 days agoMLS casts doubt on its future with Apple TV for the first time
The deal between Apple and MLS to broadcast every game in the American top flight was always a risk. In 2023, MLS Commissioner Don Garber even admitted it. On one hand, removing MLS from regional sports networks as well as only offering a slim number of games on FOX Sports has produced underwhelming results. On […]
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/ 5 days agoDon Garber lives in fantasy land where MLS model is a success
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is no stranger to comments that outwardly and, perhaps incorrectly, defend the MLS model. Most recently, Garber was a speaker at Leaders Week 2024 in London where he touted that soccer would be in a better position if it followed the lead of Major League soccer. "If you were […]
TV
/ 5 days agoFIFA opens up new bidding tender for World Cup 2026 rights
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in the tournament's history, and broadcasters submitting a tender for rights may have to pay more. With 48 teams competing, the number of games for the 2026 tournament is 104. Therefore, countries that are out of a rights deal must start their bidding process. That is the […]
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/ 5 days agoRedmond budgets $2 million of taxpayer's money for World Cup
Hosting the World Cup is an expensive task for cities, and Redmond, which is just outside of Seattle, is already setting money aside. Although there are no new stadium constructions for the 2026 World Cup, funds go to staffing, promotions, marketing and similar expenses. Lumen Field is not in Redmond, which is on the east […]
TV
/ 6 days agoBundesliga can follow EFL in ditching ESPN in next media rights
The German Bundesliga may be going down a similar path as the EFL because of its partnership with American media agency Relevent. Currently, the German top flight has a rights deal with ESPN through the end of the 2025/26 season. Until then, all games are available on ESPN+ with a small handful of games also […]
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/ 7 days agoSuper League reveals launch date, promises 'better experience’
Once again, the European Super League is rearing its head with a new launch date and revised aspirations. The original plan for the Super League was to create a new competition that would give the biggest teams and players more freedom. Not only would this give them more money, but it would help the fans. […]
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/ 7 days agoPulisic, Salah & others: Stars prioritize clubs over national teams
The October international break was bizarre. Sure, there were some interesting games and notable storylines like Mauricio Pochettino's debut with the USMNT. However, a bigger trend made headway. Players left their national teams prematurely to return to their clubs and prevent the further risk of injury. Headline players like Christian Pulisic, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van […]
TV
/ 7 days agoWho are FOX's competitors for World Cup media rights in USA?
FOX has set itself as the home of international soccer in the United States with media rights for the men's and women's World Cup. The broadcaster has the rights to the men's World Cup through the 2026 tournament, which shapes up to be historic for those in the United States. However, after that, there is […]
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/ 8 days agoLamine Yamal nurses hamstring injury after rampant playing time
With its financial woes, Barcelona has been forced to play young players who have regularly picked up injuries from wear and tear. Ansu Fati's career took a massive turn when he picked up several muscle injuries while at Barcelona. Pedri missed considerable playing time over recent seasons after battling hamstring injuries. Those injuries came on […]
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/ 8 days agoEngland gauges interest of Pep Guardiola as Three Lions coach
England is still searching for a new head coach after sacking Gareth Southgate, and the dream hire is Pep Guardiola. Even though the Manchester City manager has never coached at a competitive international level. However, few can doubt his ability as a coach. England, which has been lackluster in terms of its style of play, […]
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/ 8 days agoBundesliga coach refused offer from Man Utd to replace Ten Hag
This past summer, Manchester United faced a major decision regarding the future of Erik ten Hag, and Sebastian Hoeness was at the center of it. The manager of VfB Stuttgart was coming off one of the club's most successful seasons in recent campaigns. In the 2023/24 season, Stuttgart finished second in the Bundesliga. That was […]