Finance of Football
Finance of Football
Podcast Description
Created and hosted by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé, Finance of Football is a podcast focused on The Business of the Beautiful Game.While football is the most popular sport on the planet, it hasn’t witnessed the same success in the United States … yet. But with the 2024 Copa América, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics coming to the country and continent, the money and interest in the game is expected to reach unprecedented heights and could be the catalyst that brings football to the forefront in the U.S.Each episode, we not only discuss and debate the how, but, more importantly, the why around the biggest topics, themes and trends in football, particularly in the U.S., while being joined by guests who can lend their expertise and experience to the conversation.Thanks for listening!– Asli and Michael
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores various themes including the financial dynamics of football in the U.S., women's soccer growth, and major legal controversies in the sport. Episodes like 'Mile High Momentum: Denver’s NWSL Debut' discuss the impact of NWSL expansion, while 'The Billionaire & The Burner Account' analyzes a significant antitrust lawsuit, highlighting the intersection of business and sports.
Created and hosted by The Athletic’s Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé, Finance of Football is a podcast focused on The Business of the Beautiful Game.
While football is the most popular sport on the planet, it hasn’t witnessed the same success in the United States … yet. But with the 2024 Copa América, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics coming to the country and continent, the money and interest in the game is expected to reach unprecedented heights and could be the catalyst that brings football to the forefront in the U.S.
Each episode, we not only discuss and debate the how, but, more importantly, the why around the biggest topics, themes and trends in football, particularly in the U.S., while being joined by guests who can lend their expertise and experience to the conversation.
Thanks for listening!
– Asli and Michael
Cristo Fernández just made his USL Championship debut. The actor who plays Danny Rojas on Ted Lasso came off the bench for El Paso Locomotive in a move that gave the club a burst of attention at very little risk.
So is this the kind of moment that can help grow U.S. soccer, or is it just a good marketing story?
Michael LoRé and Asli Pelit look at Ted Lasso’s influence on the sport, from making soccer more accessible to American audiences to creating real world opportunities for clubs, brands and merchandise. They discuss whether the show can turn cultural attention into lasting interest in leagues like the USL and NWSL, and why its financial impact may be harder to measure than its cultural one.
They also compare Ted Lasso’s influence with Welcome to Wrexham and Drive to Survive, and ask what soccer needs to do to keep new audiences engaged.
In this episode:
• Why Cristo Fernández’s USL debut was a low risk, high reward opportunity
• Whether Ted Lasso is helping grow U.S. soccer or mainly creating a marketing moment
• How AFC Richmond merchandise and brand partnerships bring value to the real world
• How sports shows can make a game more accessible to new audiences
• What Ted Lasso has in common with Welcome to Wrexham and Drive to Survive
• Why cultural impact is easier to see than long term financial impact
Has Ted Lasso helped grow U.S. soccer, or is it mostly a marketing phenomenon? Tell us in the comments.
Subscribe to Finance of Football for the business, money and strategy shaping soccer in the United States and around the world.
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For more, follow Asli and Michael on Instagram
Asli – @brefootcontessa
Michael – @michale.lore
And follow the show…
On Instagram – @financeoffootballpod
On Facebook – /financeoffootball
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Finance of Football – Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is…
Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé
Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond
Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski
Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond, Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky
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