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Brave New Sport: Can Sport Empower Humanity To Tackle Some Of The Biggest Issues Of Our Time?

Sport has always played a major role in society and the importance of playful competition has been integral to humanity’s cultural evolution. How can it grow its role as a catalyst for technology, business, health and geopolitics?

Today, the sports landscape is embedded in a context of unprecedented change: rising health costs, technological disruptions, and climate change pose risks for society, economy, and environment. Can sport empower humanity to tackle some of the biggest issues of our time?

Infront are one of the leaders in the sports industry thanks to their vast network across the globe and work as one of the major sports marketing agencies in the world with a longstanding history. They also own Infront X, who specialise in helping sports, media, and entertainment organisations make deeper connections with their audiences through leading-edge technology, data-driven strategy, and impeccable design.

“We felt it was about time to look at the broader picture, to give a bit of guidance and what a desirable future for our sector is.”

Due to their position as a key player shaping the industry, Infront are able witness the developments in sport on a daily basis, which is why they have created the new book “Brave New Sport – Empowering 21st Century Society”.

Made in association with Swiss Think Tank W.I.R.E., Infront have explored some of the potential aspects of sport and its future development in the coming decades.

Joerg Polzer, VP of Strategic Communications at Infront Sports & Media, and Dr. Stephan Sigrist Head of the Think Tank W.I.R.E joined Infront X Lab’s podcast, The Mix Zone to discuss the project and some of the themes they took from it.

“We felt it was about time to look at the broader picture, to give a bit of guidance and what a desirable future for our sector is,” shared Polzer. “One of the central questions we’re asking in the book is ‘how brave do we want to be as an industry moving forward?’ You have to step out of your comfort zone and be brave to go to places where the magic happens.”

“The book really highlights the value of sport in society and the immense transformative potential it has. It really indicates that there is a next generation of sport that needs to be put on the radar and that can, if managed in the right way, have the potential to raise the importance of sport.”

“Especially with digital solutions there’s a change of hierarchy taking place in sport, giving much more power and responsibility to athletes, but it’s also putting pressure [on them].”

Sigrist added: “The book is really broad and for me it was interesting to understand that the world of sport is enlarging in so many ways and becoming much more diversified.

“Especially with digital solutions there’s a change of hierarchy taking place in sport, giving much more power and responsibility to athletes, but it’s also putting pressure [on them].”

In the book, Infront and W.I.R.E. have tried to envision how the future of sports may look and what it will be like in 30 years’ time.

Get your copy of Brave New Sport from this link – https://bravenew.sport/

Crystal Palace To Launch $CPFC Fan Token On Socios.Com

Crystal Palace has announced a partnership with Chiliz, the world leading blockchain providers for the sports and entertainment industry. Through the partnership, the club will launch a $CPFC Fan Token on the fan engagement and rewards app Socios.com.

Socios.com and Fan Tokens will create new opportunities for the club to recognise and reward local and international supporters. Fans will also be able to access exclusive promotions and a number of other exciting upcoming features on Socios.com.

Benefits of becoming a Fan Token holder include voting rights in fan focused club polls, as well as the chance to compete against other fans from at home and abroad in club-related games, competitions, and quizzes.

Fan Token holders will be able to pick up points as they connect with the club and fellow fans through the app, which will unlock access to a wide range of benefits, including club merchandise and real-life experiences, and the chance to watch games as a VIP at Selhurst Park and meet heroes of the past and present. Fan Token holders have also already benefited from additional innovative digital rewards.

The club will start by offering all existing season ticket holders and members the opportunity to redeem a $CPFC Fan Token for free. Details on how fans can collect their free Fan Token will be revealed through official club channels prior to launch. Details on when the $CPFC Fan Token Offering (FTO®) will launch will also be revealed soon. $CPFC Fan Tokens will be priced at £2 in the FTO®.

1.3 million fans from 167 countries are already using Fan Tokens on the Socios.com app to connect with and be rewarded by their favourite clubs. Crystal Palace will become the sixth Premier League club to launch a Fan Token, joining Arsenal, Manchester City, Everton, Aston Villa and Leeds.

Socios.com has already met with several Crystal Palace fan groups in order to better understand the kinds of polls, rewards and engagement fans want to see through the app. Socios.com is committed to ongoing liaison with key Palace fan groups and has already agreed to create future initiatives in collaboration with key supporter groups.

Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, said: “Socios.com is creating new opportunities for fans to connect with and be rewarded by their favourite teams every single day.

“Very soon, Eagles at home, and those who have flown the nest, will have a really cool new way to get closer to the club they love.

“We’ve now welcomed six Premier League teams to our roster of more than 100 major sporting organisations. We’re determined to keep building and improving our app to give fans the engagement, recognition and reward opportunities they deserve.”

Barry Webber, Commercial Director at Crystal Palace, said: “This partnership will create new opportunities for the club to engage with our fanbase both in the UK and internationally, and creates new ways for us to recognise and reward the fantastic support we receive as a club.

Socios are leading the way in blockchain in the sports industry, as we have seen from their relationship with other leading Clubs and with their proven track record of helping connect fans with clubs, and we’re looking forward to joining their community.”

McLaren Racing Announces Immersive Labs As Official Partner

McLaren Racing today announced Immersive Labs as an Official Partner, supporting cyber workforce optimisation of the McLaren Formula 1 team from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Immersive Labs empowers organisations to continuously measure and optimise human cyber capabilities, helping large businesses protect against and respond to emerging threats. McLaren Racing will use the Immersive Labs platform to provide real-time data on the cyber knowledge, skills, and judgement of both technical and non-technical teams, map this to risk and optimise human capabilities.

The Immersive Labs branding will be represented on the front suspension arms of the McLaren MCL35M race cars from this weekend’s 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and beyond.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said:

“People and technology are critically important elements of our team, and we are excited to work with Immersive Labs to support in developing the human cyber capabilities which will empower us to better navigate risk. We operate at race pace both on and off-track, and we look forward to this partnership accelerating the human element of our cyber security.”

James Hadley, CEO, Immersive Labs, said:

“As the impact of cyber risk spreads across the business, it is no longer the preserve of the geeks in the basement. Organisations must respond as a whole, which means continually optimising the cyber knowledge, skills and judgment of everyone from executives to technical teams, at pace.

“Competing in Formula 1 is no different, requiring technology and humans working together in unison to stay ahead. For this reason, the partnership with McLaren Racing is an excellent fit.”

Maui Jim Becomes Official Eyewear Supplier Of The DP World Tour

The DP World Tour has agreed a multi-year partnership agreement with luxury sunglasses and eyewear brand Maui Jim, that will see the company become the Tour’s Official Eyewear Supplier.

As part of the new agreement the Hawaii-based brand, renowned for their superior lens technology and premium collections, will supply eyewear to DP World Tour staff working at events across the world.

Benefiting from global marketing rights as well as an onsite presence at several tournaments throughout the season, the agreement will also enable Maui Jim to further engage with golf fans around the world across traditional news media and digital platforms.

As well as being the Official Eyewear Supplier to the DP World Tour, Maui Jim will also become the Official Eyewear Supplier to two Rolex Series events each season – the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in the UK, and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

The brand is already a familiar site in professional golf, with brand ambassadors including professionals such as Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jorge Campillo.

Invented more than 30 years ago to combat the harsh rays of the Hawaiian sun, all Maui Jim sunglasses cut 100 percent of harmful UV rays and 99.9 percent of glare from above, below and behind each lens.

Maui Jim’s PolarizedPlus2® lenses increase definition and depth perception, which is particularly important for golf, and can be found in a wide variety sport and casual styles for both men and women.

Martijn Van Eerde Senior Director, Marketing EMEA & APAC of Maui Jim, said: “We take great pride in the renewal of our partnership. In 2019 we boosted our presence in golf by becoming official supplier of the Tour, a relationship that quickly proved to work very well and we immediately saw a great fit between our teams and culture. The pandemic of course abruptly interrupted progress, but now we feel very fortunate to be able resume our joint efforts with this milestone agreement. Golfers around the world, as well as many working in and around the sport, can benefit greatly from using our products and technology. We look forward to working with the European Tour group across the DP World Tour to further develop that potential alongside our efforts in tennis, Formula 1, SailGP and of course Manchester United partnerships.”

Max Hamilton, Commercial Director at the European Tour group, added; “We’re delighted to welcome Maui Jim as our Official Eyewear Supplier and will see their products in use by our teams across the world during the new DP World Tour season. The brand is premium, high tech, and globally minded – so this partnership felt like a perfect fit for both parties. We look forward to promoting the brand to golf fans through a series of digital and tournament specific activations.”

NFL Appoints Alexander Steinforth To Lead Growth In Germany

ALEXANDER STEINFORTH, who is currently Managing Director of Deutsche Sport Marketing, is to join the National Football League as General Manager, Germany, it was announced today.

Steinforth’s role will see him drive and execute the league’s business in Germany, including fan growth, commercial success, live regular-season games and development of community programs. His appointment builds on the tremendous momentum the NFL has experienced in Germany, where the league has 19 million fans and has seen weekly television ratings on ProSieben and DAZN grow by more than 20 percent annually since 2017. Steinforth will be based in Germany and will report to Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK.

An experienced sports management expert, Steinforth’s role as head of the commercial arm of the German Olympic Sports Federation has seen him drive record-breaking revenues and profits.

“We are very pleased to welcome Alexander to the NFL,” said Gosper. “He is a well-rounded candidate with strong leadership experience and a sharp commercial brain. He is the ideal person to be at the forefront of the expansion of our business in Germany.”

Before joining Deutsche Sport Marketing in 2020, Steinforth spent three years as commercial director at Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf and two years as strategy manager at Manchester United. His previous work experience includes Deutsche Fußball-Liga, ProSiebenSat1 as well as the management consultancy Boston Consulting Group.

“I am looking forward to this challenging and exciting new role,” said Steinforth. “The NFL has great momentum in Germany and I am confident I can use my experience to create further opportunities to develop the sport and expand NFL’s fan base. The NFL is committed to growth in Germany and I am honored to be playing a part in that process.”

Steinforth is expected to take up his NFL duties early in 2022.

David Lampitt Appointed CEO Of ATP’s Tennis Data Innovations

David Lampitt has today been announced as the first CEO of Tennis Data Innovations (TDI), a joint venture by ATP and ATP Media.

Formed in late 2020, the TDI group was created to manage the aggregated rights to ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour match data, coupled with certain media streaming rights, to enrich fans’ enjoyment of tennis and make tennis even more accessible to the digital audience.

An accomplished sports industry professional, Lampitt brings a wealth of experience in senior roles across sport, most recently as Managing Director of Sports Content & Partnerships at Sportradar, a global leader in sports data, content and technology. In nearly a decade at the company, Lampitt shaped the commercial and strategic development of the sports data market and delivered partnerships with many of the world’s leading sports organisations, as well as being part of the leadership team that successfully completed the company’s IPO in September this year.

Prior to Sportradar, Lampitt spent seven years at the English Football Association and two years as CEO of Portsmouth Football Club. He also worked as CEO of Supporters Direct, a not-for-profit organisation promoting good governance in sport. He holds a degree in Modern Languages from Bristol University and is an ACA Chartered Accountant.

The appointment marks the first senior executive hire since the formation of TDI. As CEO, Lampitt will be responsible for overseeing the central management, product innovation, and exploitation of tennis data in a variety of downstream markets, including betting and performance analytics. TDI has a number of strategic goals including commercial performance of the data and databases under its control, sales strategy, integrity and compliance as well as the potential future integration of data assets from other tennis stakeholders.

David Lampitt said: “As a lifelong tennis fan, I’m delighted to be joining TDI at such an exciting juncture, as tennis looks to transform the way its data and content is leveraged across the modern game. I’m looking forward to building out the team at TDI and supporting the ATP and ATP Media’s joint mission to deliver the best experiences to tennis fans around the world.”

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman and TDI Board member, said: “The biggest growth opportunity for tennis lies in media and data. With ATP Media already successfully dedicated to the media side of the ATP Tour, TDI was created for precisely this reason on the data side, to develop new products to enhance the fan experience and to aggregate those data products and scale revenues on behalf of our members.”

Mark Webster, ATP Media CEO and TDI Board member added: “This is an important new venture with huge potential upside, and we needed someone with deep understanding of the space to lead the team. We’re delighted to have attracted someone of David’s skill and experience to come on board as CEO.”

Lampitt begins in the role effective 1 January 2022 and will be based in London, UK.

Viaplay To Launch In The Netherlands At The Beginning Of March 2022

Viaplay and VodafoneZiggo, a leading provider of fixed, mobile and integrated communication and entertainment services in the Netherlands, have entered a multi-year distribution partnership to make Viaplay accessible to almost 4 million households across the country. Viaplay will launch in the Netherlands on 1 March 2022 and will offer Dutch viewers a unique combination of premium live sports, Viaplay Originals, Hollywood films and series, and kids content.

From 1 March, Ziggo customers can add a Viaplay subscription to their TV or broadband package.

Kim Poder, NENT Group Chief Commercial Officer: “We are delighted to announce this long-term deal with one of the leading operators in the Netherlands. Ziggo has significant reach and an established position in sports, and we will work together to help as many viewers as possible get to know Viaplay. This partnership will make it easy for Ziggo customers to enjoy our unique offering from day one.”

Robin Kroes, Chief Strategy & Content Officer at VodafoneZiggo: “We want to give our customers easy access to all their favourite content, including sports. This partnership helps to fulfil that aim, so we are pleased to have come to a collaboration with Viaplay.”

Live sports available on Viaplay will include Formula 1 featuring Dutch superstar Max Verstappen, current joint leader of the World Drivers’ Championship; PDC darts with three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen; Bundesliga football and much more, with Premier League football to come from August 2022.

In the Netherlands, Viaplay will be available through third-party distribution partnerships and direct subscriptions. The service will be supported by a wide range of devices and platforms, including smart TVs; iOS and Android smartphones and tablets; Chromecast and Apple TV; and PC and Mac.

Endeavor Creates Diamond Baseball Holdings, Acquires Nine MLB Minor League Clubs

Endeavor today announced the creation of Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization dedicated to supporting, promoting and enhancing the sport of baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. Endeavor has also signed purchase agreements to acquire nine MLB Professional Development League (PDL) Clubs, which remain subject to customary closing conditions.

Diamond Baseball Holdings will operate select Clubs affiliated with the most iconic franchises in Major League Baseball, including the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants. The initial Clubs are:

Iowa Cubs (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs)
Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals)
Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders (Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees)
Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees)
San Jose Giants (Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants)

Subject to the PDL approval process, DBH will also operate all four affiliates of the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves:

Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
Mississippi Braves (Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
Rome Braves (High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)
Augusta GreenJackets (Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves)

Endeavor is also in late stage negotiations with a handful of other significant franchises and expects to announce those developments in due course.

“Opportunities to move into an ownership position of a sport so steeped in history are increasingly rare, and we are confident this will drive meaningful growth in the Owned Sports Properties segment of our company,” said Mark Shapiro, President of Endeavor. “Just as we’ve done for the UFC, PBR and Euroleague, we see tremendous potential to turbocharge these storied Clubs using the scale and capabilities of Endeavor. Our expertise across sponsorship sales, event operations, licensing, marketing and content creation will bring incredible value to these Clubs, supporting communities across the country who form the backbone of the Professional Development League system.”

Endeavor has appointed two industry leaders, Pat Battle and Peter B. Freund, to oversee Diamond Baseball Holdings. Battle is Executive Chairman of DBH, bringing extensive experience at the local and national level, as well as ownership interest in two PDL Clubs. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Learfield and serves as an advisor to Endeavor across multiple companies. Freund is CEO of DBH, also bringing to the plate experience as a longtime Minor League Baseball owner and operator. Freund most recently consulted with the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on the transition of Major League Baseball’s licensed affiliates while spearheading the formation of the MLB Draft League.

“We are excited to lead Diamond Baseball Holdings and create new opportunities for Clubs and communities that play an essential role in cultivating America’s favorite pastime,” said Battle and Freund. “We will be global in our ambitions and hyper-local in our approach, and creating incredible fan experiences will remain our number one priority. Additionally, we look forward to providing opportunities for growth to the employees of PDL Clubs whose passion and ingenuity have built the sport through the decades.”

“As a longtime Minor League owner and operator, I am thrilled that Hudson Valley will now be part of such a dynamic new group of Clubs,” said Marv Goldklang, Chairman of the industry-leading Goldklang Group and a limited partner of the New York Yankees for more than 30 years. “I have known Peter Freund for almost 15 years and have every confidence that with him at the helm, Diamond Baseball Holdings will continue to build on our legacy, which we are incredibly proud of.”

DBH will support its Clubs with ticket sales, partnerships, naming rights, food & beverage, merchandising, content strategy, collectibles/authentics/NFTs and media rights, tapping into the broader Endeavor network including Learfield and Endeavor Analytics for expertise across the various disciplines.

SailGP Unveils Expanded Season 3 Schedule

First eight cities unveiled in an expanded SailGP Season 3 – 10 teams to line-up for third season, starting May 2022 in BermudaLeague grows presence with new events in Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai and New Zealand, including a four year partnership that sees Christchurch and Auckland as alternate hosts

SailGP returns in its third season with additional new teams, more iconic cities and thrilling racing as it reaffirms its status as the most exciting and purpose-driven racing on-water. The future has never looked brighter for SailGP as it expands both its competitive roster and enviable list of global event locations, whilst returning to some fan-favourite destinations that attracted thousands of fans in Season 2.

Once again bringing the sport’s best roster of athletes together, the global championship welcomes two new franchise teams for its third season, with Canada and Switzerland set to expand SailGP’s reach to new audiences. They join teams from Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States.
SailGP Season 3 has been expanded to include ten events, with seven grands prix taking place in 2022 and the remainder in the first quarter of 2023, with the season expected to finish in April 2023. The championship kicks-off for the second straight year in Bermuda with the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess. From there, the ten-nation fleet will head to a new SailGP destination in North America and include a home race for Jimmy Spithill’s U.S. team at Chicago’s Navy Pier on Lake Michigan in June. Both Bermuda and Chicago are two year deals that will see the league return in Season 4.

The fleet will arrive in Europe for the summer with four European events planned. Following successful events in Season 2, SailGP will return to Plymouth – Britain’s Ocean City – in late July, the iconic French destination of Saint-Tropez in September and then later the same month Cádiz, in Andalucía, Spain. In addition, the fleet of hydrofoiling F50s will revisit Denmark, but this time, the capital city of Copenhagen will host the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix. Racing for 2022 will conclude with another new addition to the calendar as SailGP hosts its first Middle Eastern event in Dubai, UAE presented by P&O Marinas on November 11-12.

Season 3 will continue into 2023 and include an event in New Zealand as part of a major four-season partnership with New Zealand Major Events. Through the partnership – spanning Season 3 to Season 6 – Christchurch and Auckland will share hosting duties of SailGP, claiming a permanent fixture on the SailGP season calendar and the first home event for Peter Burling and Blair Tuke’s New Zealand SailGP Team.

All the Season 3 action will be available live in over 175 territories through SailGP’s broadcast partners, including Australia (Fox Sports), Denmark (TV2 Sport), France (Canal+ Sport), Japan (J Sports), New Zealand (Sky Sport), South East Asia (beIN SPORTS), Spain (RTVE and TV3), UK/Ireland (SKY Sports) and the U.S. (CBS Sports) as well as across SailGP digital platforms including the award winning SailGP App.

As the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, SailGP will continue to push boundaries in the global event industry and its Race for the Future. From its inception in 2019, SailGP has been measuring, reducing and contributing its entire carbon footprint and has set an ambitious target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint – based on science – by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025 on shore and on the water.

All of the host cities in Season 3 share SailGP’s commitment to climate action and a cleaner future. SailGP and host cities will collaborate deeper for Season 3 and every host city will sign the league’s Climate Action Charter – working alongside CDP – and commit to local impact projects focusing on clean energy impact and wider ocean conservation.

Running concurrent to the championship trophy for the on-water racing, SailGP’s pioneering Impact League will return even stronger in Season 3. The forward-thinking league – introduced in Season 2 – tracks the positive actions the teams make to reduce their overall carbon footprint and help accelerate inclusivity in sailing. The end result of the season is two podiums, one for sport and one for the planet and the prize fund going to the team’s purpose partners, which the cities will also contribute towards for the first time.

As part of SailGP’s better sport strategy, diversity and inclusion will also be a continued focus for Season 3. The league will continue to give opportunities to female athletes as part of its Women’s Pathway Program – racing onboard the high-speed F50s throughout the season – to accelerate inclusion within the sport and inspire change. SailGP will also use its community-engagement arm – SailGP Inspire – to introduce young people from diverse backgrounds to the sport and give career opportunities within the wider marine industry.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “When Larry Ellison and I came up with the concept for SailGP, we envisaged a league with the best athletes in the world, racing in equal high-tech boats that are extremely fast, creating exciting, close to shore action, and with a regular season for our fans to truly engage with the sport globally. We set ourselves a five year goal, but to sit here in Season 3 with ten teams on the start line – including two new franchised teams – an expanded season calendar, an impressive collection of commercial and broadcast partners, purpose and impact at our heart with a positive impact on the environment and an immersive fan experience through our broadcast and gaming offer – I simply couldn’t be happier with what has already been achieved.”

Season 2 of SailGP continues with the Australia Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG in Sydney on December 17 and 18. The season will conclude March 26 and 27 with the SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco.

SailGP Season 3 Schedule* // 2022-2023

May 14-15 Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess

June 18-19 United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier

July 30-31 Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth

August 19-20 ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen

September 10-11 France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez

September 24-25 Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – CádizN

November 11-12 Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas

2023 New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch

*Further events will be announced to complete Season 3, which will conclude April 2023 and is expected to comprise ten events.

MLS NEXT Pro Unveils 21 Clubs For Inaugural Season Starting March 2022

MLS NEXT Pro announced on Monday the 21 clubs that will compete in the new professional league’s inaugural 2022 season.

Established in June by Major League Soccer, the new professional league will complete an integrated player pathway from MLS NEXT through to MLS first teams. The new league will offer young players and experienced professionals the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while competing for an MLS NEXT Pro championship.

WESTERN CONF.	EASTERN CONF.
Colorado	Chicago
Dallas	Cincinnati
Houston	Columbus
Kansas City	Miami
Minnesota	New England
Portland	New York City
Salt Lake	Orlando
San Jose	Philadelphia
Seattle	Rochester**
St. Louis	Toronto
Vancouver

** Independent pro club

Joining in 2023:

Eight additional MLS-affiliated teams will join MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, including: Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, D.C., LA, LAFC, Nashville and NY Red Bulls. In addition to Rochester NY FC, MLS NEXT Pro will introduce additional independent clubs to the league in 2023 and beyond.

Rochester NY FC

Rochester NY FC will serve as MLS NEXT Pro’s inaugural independent club. Rochester NY FC, founded in 1996 as the Rochester Rhinos and rebranded this September, is owned by David and Wendy Dworkin, and co-owned by Premier League striker, and former England National Team star, Jamie Vardy of Leicester City F.C.

“We look forward to showcasing Rochester as a premier professional club and are excited to kick off that process by helping to launch the inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro in 2022,” said Vardy. “Joining this league, full of opportunity for communities, fans, players and staff – on the pitch and off – is a tremendous point of pride for our club.”

“We are thrilled that Rochester NY FC will be the first independent club to join MLS Next Pro”, said David and Wendy Dworkin. “Rochester established itself as a winning club with the Rhinos, and we are pleased to add a new chapter in the city’s rich soccer history as Rochester NY FC. We are excited to develop the future international stars of soccer, right here in our local community. By joining this league, Rochester is on the cusp of the future and the evolving global game of soccer.”

MLS NEXT Pro will bring professional soccer closer to fans and supporters, while providing more opportunities for players, coaches, referees and sports business professionals throughout North America.

24 league games per club
8 teams will make the playoffs culminating in a cup final
Adidas will serve as MLS NEXT Pro’s first corporate sponsor
Charles Altchek will serve as President of the league
Ali Curtis will serve as Senior Vice President of Competition and Operations of MLS NEXT Pro

“Charles and Ali have the experience, enthusiasm and values to lead the growth and development of MLS NEXT Pro,” said MLS Commissioner, Don Garber. “They will partner with MLS-affiliated and independent teams to bring professional soccer to more communities throughout North America.”

Adidas: As a founding partner of MLS NEXT Pro, adidas will continue to expand upon its deep relationship with MLS and MLS NEXT. The partnership affirms adidas’ commitment to the growth and advancement of the sport of soccer in local communities throughout the United States, Canada and globally.;Pro Player PathwayThe stars of tomorrow play in MLS NEXT Pro today

“MLS NEXT Pro completes Major League Soccer’s pro player pathway, connecting our youth academies through to our first teams,” said Altchek. “As we continue to push the future of soccer forward in the United States and Canada, player development, community, innovation and diversity form the pillars of MLS NEXT Pro. The inaugural season in 2022 will be another historic moment for the sport.”

“MLS NEXT Pro will enhance the quality of all players, coaches, referees, and executives along the development pathway and it is an important step to the growth of the sport in North America leading up to the World Cup in 2026,” said Senior Vice President of Competition and Operations of MLS NEXT Pro Ali Curtis.