A super hero ball, +$770 for Messi's debut, Anti-Racism, UCL Final numbers, and more.

TOP 3 HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK?

US SUMMER TOURS

According to ticketing company Logitix, these are the top 25 games in the US?this summer, in terms of average ticket price. Real x Bar?a still leads, with Messi's probable debut ranking only in 7th, although I risk saying that the tickets to this game will soon surge to 1st place. BTW, this list was launched at the beginning of the week and right now tickets to Messi's debut have already risen to $770 (from $29!!!!), which would already rank it 1st (as expected), way above Real x Bar?a's $484.?

SUPER MLS?

The MLS All-Star game looks set to get a little super this season.?A new Adidas ball has been posted for sale – the MLS All-Star Game ball, featuring the Marvel Avengers superhero team.

ANTI-RACISM

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior will lead a special FIFA anti-racism committee made up of players who will suggest stricter punishments for discriminatory behaviour in football.

Other relevant US Soccer business news

UCL in the US

CBS Sports released its?viewership statistics from the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final.?CBS averaged about 2.1 million viewers throughout the massive match. Television audience for the game on the network peaked at around 2.6 million. Along with being available on network TV, sports fans could have also streamed the game on Paramount+. The streaming service claims that the City-Inter match was their most-streamed soccer game of all time.

MLS

MLS has named Chris McGowan executive vice-president and?chief club performance officer?at the league.

Check out The Athletic's suggestions as to?how?MLS, Apple can maximize Messi's time in America.?

NWSL?

Bay FC, the NWSL’s newest expansion team, hired former Levi Strauss & Co executive?Brady Stewart as its first CEO.?

MEDIA

CBS Sports presenter Kate Abdo has signed a four-year exclusive?renewal contract.

Still in US sports media, Fox Sports stated that its?Women World Cup ads are 90% sold out, with its Ad revenue up 50% from 2019.?Brands?that will be particularly visible throughout the month-long event are Verizon, which returns as the sponsor of Fox’s World Cup Live pregame show, and Volkswagen, presenter of the halftime show. Google will serve as the sponsor for the Fox bridge show.

Also, Yahoo has appointed Ryan Spoon as the?new president of its sports division. Spoon comes to Yahoo Sports after working at digital collectibles and fantasy game company Sorare.

BROADCASTING RIGHTS

Fz Sports, a Miami-based sports media and technology company, has?raised $74 million in growth funding. The financing, which includes debt and equity capital, was provided by 777 Partners, MEP Capital, Torneos, Serengeti Asset Management and Magma Partners, among others.?Fz currently manages the international broadcasting rights of top-flight soccer leagues in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru.

Other relevant Global Football business news

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

More than one million tickets have now been sold for this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, ensuring that the international soccer showpiece is on track to become the most-attended edition in the tournament’s history. In related news,?British free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters BBC and ITV are?close to agreeing a rights deal?for the upcoming Women’s World Cup. In related news, the secretary general of FIFA,?Fatma Samoura, is to leave her position in December?after seven years, having overseen preparations for this year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

UK

The 49ers Enterprises arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers has agreed a?takeover deal for Leeds United, recently relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.?The Americans, who were already minority shareholders of the club, had been pushing for a full takeover this summer, and Leeds’ relegation last month decreased its valuation to?UK￡170 million?(US$213.9 million).

Still in the UK, the English Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs witnessed a?60% rise in revenue, from ￡20m to ￡32m, across the 2020-21 to 2021-22 seasons, according to Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

Also, the Premier League has released its?complete schedule for the upcoming 23/24 season.

SPAIN

LaLiga has agreed a?deal with US-based sports technology company Play Anywhere Holdings?which promises to provide interactive elements to broadcasters of the top two divisions of Spanish club football and the direct-to-consumer offering of the league.

AI

One Future Football (1FF) has?launched what it claims to be the world’s first “global, digital soccer league”, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The Melbourne, Australia-based startup has raised US$3 million to help develop its vision.

CONCACAF?

Concacaf has announced a?multi-year sponsorship renewal with Valvoline?as the official motor oil of the 2023 and 2025 Concacaf Gold Cups and the inaugural 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, as well as a partner for the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals. Through the deal, Valvoline Global will be the presenting partner of the 'Advanced Protection Player Stats' after each match and for stoppage time of each regulation half the men's Gold Cup and Nations League Finals matches.

In related news,?FIFA will team up with Concacaf?to provide its World Cup 2026 sponsors an opportunity to promote themselves at Concacaf events, beginning with the 2023 Concacaf Nations League finals in Las Vegas.

UEFA

UEFA has issued an invitation to tender for?media rights for the Uefa Women’s Euro 2025?(Switzerland) in 45 European territories, including major markets such as Germany and the UK.

Check out?Sponsor United's sponsorship recap?for the UCL Final in Istanbul.?

GLOBAL

Deloitte’s annual soccer finance review reveals thattotal revenue from the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 grew by 10%to $18.78 billion during the 2021-22 season. The report also showed a big growth for Women’s Soccer -- in the U.K., the 12 Women’s Super League clubs grew revenue by 60% in 2021-22 for a record sum of $40.81 million.