Gennaro Gattuso was on the list of possible head coaches for Inter Miami CF. On Tuesday night, he was installed as the new manager at Napoli, a few hours after the club said arrivederci to Carlo Ancelotti.
Gattuso’s contract is heavy on incentives. According to information obtained by the Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gattuso will earn 750,000 € from now until June, 2020. His contract can be lengthened for two more years if Napoli finishes in the top four spots in Serie A and thereby qualifies for the Champions League next season. Under such an extension, Gattuso’s salary will increase to 1.5 million € per year. Further incentives could raise that total to 2 million € per year.
When asked about Carlo Ancelotti, who had coached Gattuso while he was at AC Milan, he said “Ancelotti is like a father to me. In all these years he has always been close to me, helping me in all situations. He has won everything and I still have much to show. The objective is to climb positions and arrive in a position which puts us in the Champions League. We must work well, recover points and exit from this delicate situation.”
Gennaro Gattuso estaba en la lista de posibles directores técnicos para el Inter de Miami. El martes por la noche fue confirmado como nuevo técnico del Napolés. El contrato también se ha hecho público. Según informa la Gazzetta dello Sport, Gennaro cobrará 750.000 euros de aquí a junio, un contrato que se alargaría por otras dos temporadas si el equipo termina entre los cuatro primeros y se clasifica para la próxima Champions. Si eso ocurre, Gattuso pasaría a cobrar 1,5 milliones por año, cantidad que se podría elevar hasta los 2 millones si se cumplen unos bonus pactados.
Lo que dijó Gattuso sobre Carlo Ancelotti: “Ancelotti es un padre para mí. En todos estos años siempre ha estado cerca de mí ayudándome en todas las situaciones. Ganó todo y yo todavía tengo mucho que demostrar. El objetivo es remontar posiciones y llegar a las posiciones de Champions. Debemos trabajar bien, recuperar puntos y salir de este momento delicado”, confesó ‘Rino’.
Ecco come giocherà il Napoli. | Here is how Napoli will play under Gattuso.
Il Napoli di Gattuso giocherà sicuramente con il 4-3-3 Gattuso will deploy a 4-3-3 at Napoli | Photo: Calcio Napoli
Inter Miami also receives 1st pick in Stage One of Re-Entry Draft.
MIAMI, Fla. (November 11, 2019) —
The trade window opened today for 55 hours as part of the Major League Soccer’s off-season calendar, and newcomers Inter Miami CF wasted no time.
Making a trade with FC Cincinnati, Miami acquired midfielder Victor Ulloa and the No. 1 overall pick in Stage One of the 2019 MLS Re-Entry Draft.
In exchange, Inter Miami has sent $50,000 General Allocation Money (“GAM”), a natural third-round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and the 26th overall pick in Stage One of the Re-Entry Draft to Cincinnati.
TRADE RECAP:
TO MIAMI
TO CINCINNATI
M Victor Ulloa
$50,000 GAM
1st pick, 2019 MLS Re-Entry Draft, Stage 1
26th pick, MLS Re-Entry Draft, Stage 1
3rd pick in 2020 MLS SuperDraft
“Victor brings valuable experience and league knowledge to our roster,” said Inter Miami CF Sporting Director Paul McDonough. “He is a proven defensive midfielder with quality leadership skills we value at our organization.”
Ulloa, 27 years-old, plays in a holding midfield position. He featured in 26 games for FC Cincinnati in 2019, starting 22, scoring one goal and contributing 2 assists. This will be his second expansion team adventure in as many years, as he joined Cincinnati for the club’s inaugural season after playing at FC Dallas for eight years.
Playing at the FC Dallas Academy, he was the first Homegrown Player in FC Dallas history, and the eighth in MLS to reach 100 appearances, on June 3, 2017. Ulloa also became the seventh Homegrown player in MLS to play 10,000 minutes in 2018.
He signed his first professional contract in 2010 and made his First Team debut for FC Dallas in October 2011. With FC Dallas, Ulloa made 173 appearances in all competitions, tallying six goals and seven assists from his midfield position. He helped guide the club to the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title and the 2016 Supporters’ Shield.
Ulloa’s versatility is one of his strengths. “I would say absolutely,” he added. “I can play in different systems. I’m a very tactical and smart, organized player and I like to have the ball at my feet. There’s always room for improvement. I would like to connect more passes forward and break lines and give the team more options going forward.”
As a holding midfielder, Ulloa acts as the anchor to the midfield, connecting it to the backline. He is adept at being able to break lines by executing swift passes to the forwards using his vision and passing accuracy.
Ulloa scores for FC Dallas in a 2016 game vs. Colorado. Video: Altitude SportsStatistics: Transfermarkt.us
Since he was out of contract at Cincinnati, Inter will have to agree to terms with him on a new contract. From the Cincinnati perspective, they at least received assets for Ulloa, rather than nothing.
From Miami’s view, although Ulloa, as an out-of-contract player, would have been available in the Re-Entry Draft, getting him now leaves that re-entry pick open for the team to select someone else. Inter Miami thus acquired a starting midfielder for only $50,000 GAM, a third-round SuperDraft pick and also received a higher Re-Entry Draft spot. That’s a good deal. The Club also maintains control of its first, second and fourth round picks in the SuperDraft (as of November 11).
This signing was Inter Miami’s sixth player on its inaugural roster.
Today marks the beginning of the MLS offseason player movement calendar.
The action will start with a 55-hour window starting at 1 pm ET today in which teams may sign and trade players.
Other important dates include the MLS Expansion Draft on Nov. 19, which you will be able to watch on MLSsoccer.com and the MLS mobile app,
Also, the deadline for clubs to exercise options that are contained in some players’ contracts is on November 21.
For players who qualify, the opening of free agency is on November 25.
You can read more about the rules and procedures surrounding the various drafts, the criteria for qualification and the processes for player movement at the Russo Law and Soccer website. Links are below:
The complete offseason calendar is outlined below:
Nov. 11, 1:00 PM ET
Trade Window Opens Following a 10-week roster freeze, MLS clubs may sign and trade players.
Nov. 13, 8:00 PM ET
Trade Window Closes and Blackout Period Begins Blackout Period begins whereby clubs may no longer sign and/or trade players until conclusion of 2019 Expansion Draft.
Nov. 14
Club Deadline to submit Bona Fide Offers MLS clubs notify the League Office in writing of players who have been extended a bona fide offer.
Nov. 19, 5:00 PM ET
2019 MLS Expansion Draft Watch live in the MLS app or on MLSsoccer.com. Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC may select up to five players each from the eligible player list. The list of players eligible for selection in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft will be released on Nov. 16 at 10:00 AM ET:
Club Deadline to Exercise Options MLS clubs notify the League Office in writing of players whose options they are exercising.
Nov. 25, 3:00 PM ET
End-of-Year Waivers The End-of-Year Waivers process is conducted in reverse order of 2019 season finish, taking into account postseason performance. Per the Expansion Priority Draft, Nashville SC will have the 25th pick and Inter Miami CF will have the final selection in each round.
Eligible for selection are players who do not meet the minimum requirements for Re-Entry Process or Free Agency. The list of players eligible for the End-of-Year Waivers will be released on Nov. 22: End-Of-Year Waivers Rules And Procedures
Nov. 25, 3:00 PM ET
Free Agency Opens Clubs may engage with players, other than their own, that are eligible for Free Agency. Free Agency eligible players are out-of-contract and option-declined players who are at least 28 years old and who have completed a minimum of eight service years. The complete list of Free Agents will be released on Nov. 22.
Nov. 26, 3:00 PM ET
2019 MLS Re-Entry Process – Stage 1 The Re-Entry Process, Stage 2 is conducted in the same format as Stage 1 and consists of MLS players who were not selected in the Stage 1. Not all unselected Stage 1 players will be available for selection as players may re-sign with their previous club between stages or may opt out of the process.
The list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Process – Stage 1 will be released on Nov. 22: Re-Entry Draft Rules And Procedures
Dec. 3, 3:00 PM ET
2019 MLS Re-Entry Process – Stage 2 The Re-Entry Process is conducted in reverse order of 2019 season finish, taking into account postseason performance. Per the Expansion Priority Draft, Nashville SC will have the 25th pick and Inter Miami CF will have the final selection in each round.
The list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Process – Stage 2 will be released on Nov. 3 at 10:00 AM ET: Re-Entry Draft Rules And Procedures
Marcelo Daniel Gallardo ticks most of the boxes on two teams’ managerial checklists.
Marcelo Gallardo has put together an impressive CV in his six years in South America. Mike Hewitt – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
He’s one of the front runners to be the first manager of Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, he is reportedly a front runner to take the helm of a much larger, more famous club. A club whose tag line is “More Than A Club.” For 43-year-old Club Atlético River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo, whose baby-faced appearance has earned him the nicknamed “El Muñeco – the Doll,” it’s an enviable position to be in no doubt.
Manchester City coach Pep Gallardo thinks very highly of Gallardo.
“Lo que ha hecho Gallardo en River es increíble. A nivel resultados, de darle consistencia, y otro año y otro año. Y se van jugadores pero sigue estando a nivel”.
“What Gallardo has done with River is incredible,” Guardiola told an Argentine TV station. “Some things are inexplicable. Every year three coaches are named as the best in the world, and he’s never among them. I can’t understand it. It’s as if there’s nothing else in the world apart from Europe.”
Recently he has been linked as the successor to Ernesto Valverde at Barcelona. Valverde’s contract is expiring on June 30, 2020 and it’s all but certain he will not be back. It is also certain that Lionel Messi approves of Gallardo as a replacement, having already referred to him as “one of the best.” Leo voted El Muñeco the third best coach in the world at FIFA’s The Best Awards, and that vote surely was heard by the Catalan club’s board. Having Messi’s ‘approval’ would be an important factor in deciding whether to hire a new coach. Another Blaugrana great, Andres Iniesta, who is currently playing for Vissel Kobe in the J-League, said “El trabajo que está haciendo Gallardo es sensacional.” (“The work Gallardo is doing is sensational.”)
What are Gallardo’s credentials that have him to linked to one of the most storied clubs in the world? In short, it’s his combination of youth, experience, a commitment to attacking football and an impressive CV as a player.
Now in his sixth year in charge, he has experienced great success at River; he has won the Copa Libertadores twice, and will have a chance to make that three in this year’s final later this month against Flamengo. Managing a club for six years is extremely rare in South America. Demands and needs change quickly due to the fact that the best players are continuously being sold off, mostly to Europe. As Guardiola pointed out, at River Plate “every year the players leave, but the work continues.”
Compensating for this has given Gallardo a depth of experience beyond his years and certainly beyond the baby-faced appearance that has left him dubbed “El Muñeco – the Doll.”
Gallardo is credited with being proficient at reading the opposition, accurately assessing his own resources and making adjustments to the tactical plan, all without confusing his players. When he first took over at River, he used a 4-4-2 formation, featuring the old-fashioned Argentine diamond — a holder in front of the centre-backs, two mixed midfielders either side and the traditional No. 10, the position Gallardo had played.
On occasions he has even shifted to a back three — the first leg of last year’s Libertadores final against Boca the most notable.
Marcelo Gallardo guided River Plate to the 2018 Copa Libertadores title over Boca Juniors. Denis Doyle/Getty Images
He was a top-class attacking midfielder in his playing days, subtle and skillful, with over 40 caps and two World Cups for Argentina to his credit. His playing career is mostly associated with River Plate, but he also played in Ligue Un (France) with Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco. He also played in MLS and at Nacional de Montivideo. where he ended his playing days and promptly started coaching the side, taking them to the Uruguayan league title.
Signing History of Marcelo Gallardo
Statistics
Gallardo played in two World Cups: France1998 and Korea-Japan 2002
The next test will be the Copa Libertadores final, now a one game final. It should be a tough challenge, as Flamengo is an attacking team under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus.
If River prevail they will once again head to the FIFA Club World Cup — the one tournament where Gallardo has always come up short. In 2015, his side scraped by with a 1-0 semifinal win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan, before being overwhelmed in the final against Barcelona, 3-0. Last year, River did not even make the final, falling on penalties to Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates.
Regardless of the Club World Cup, a tournament that is not widely followed, Gallardo is the “in-demand” coach of the moment. Spanish press call him “El director técnico de moda.”
Both Barcelona and Miami have maintained contact with people connected to Gallardo, according to Argentinean publications. It was also reported that Miami Sporting Director Paul McDonough had been to Argentina during the past few months. Gallardo has been very smart, with indications that he will not sit down and talk about a possible exit until after River’s last game this year. That would be in December when the Argentina Superliga season ends.
For Miami, hiring an Argentine coach makes sense, seeing that the first two players the club signed are both from Argentina, making for an instant cultural connection for two promising players. It is also a strategy that worked well for Inter Miami McDonough when he was with Atlanta United. It was clear from early on indicated that the Five Stripes were going be very ambitious by building top-of-the-line training grounds, spending significant sums in MLS terms to acquire players and hiring an internationally well-known coach in Tata Martino, who had once led FC Barcelona and the Argentinian national team.
Inter Miami CF is overdue for announcing its head coach. Managing owner Jorge Mas previously said he was expecting to have a coach named by the end of summer, then changed it to the end of September, and later changed to the end of October. That date has now come and gone. As each day passes without a coach being named, the most plausible explanation I can think of is that the head coach is someone who is still busy. Marcelo Gallardo clearly fits that description. What else would explain the hold up?
I’ve written before about the shortlist of top coaching candidates for the new club. While only those inside the negotiations can say for sure (which obviously they won’t), if the first head coach was going to be Santiago Solari or Gennaro Gattuso, or any other manager not currently employed, it’s hard to understand why that person is not already in Miami helping to plan for the inaugural season.
Photo: DobleAmarilla.com
The Copa Libertadores Final is November 23. If that mobile boarding pass says ‘MIA’ we can expect a coaching announcement at the end of this month.
Marcelo Daniel Gallardo ticks most of the boxes on two teams’ managerial checklists.
Marcelo Gallardo has put together an impressive CV in his six years in South America. Mike Hewitt – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
He’s one of the front runners to be the first manager of Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, he is reportedly a front runner to take the helm of a much larger, more famous club. A club whose tag line is “More Than A Club.” For 43-year-old Club Atlético River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo, whose baby-faced appearance has earned him the nicknamed “El Muñeco – the Doll,” it’s an enviable position to be in no doubt.
Manchester City coach Pep Gallardo thinks very highly of Gallardo.
“Lo que ha hecho Gallardo en River es increíble. A nivel resultados, de darle consistencia, y otro año y otro año. Y se van jugadores pero sigue estando a nivel”.
“What Gallardo has done with River is incredible,” Guardiola told an Argentine TV station. “Some things are inexplicable. Every year three coaches are named as the best in the world, and he’s never among them. I can’t understand it. It’s as if there’s nothing else in the world apart from Europe.”
Recently he has been linked as the successor to Ernesto Valverde at Barcelona. Valverde’s contract is expiring on June 30, 2020 and it’s all but certain he will not be back. It is also certain that Lionel Messi approves of Gallardo as a replacement, having already referred to him as “one of the best.” Leo voted El Muñeco the third best coach in the world at FIFA’s The Best Awards, and that vote surely was heard by the Catalan club’s board. Having Messi’s ‘approval’ would be an important factor in deciding whether to hire a new coach. Another Blaugrana great, Andres Iniesta, who is currently playing for Vissel Kobe in the J-League, said “El trabajo que está haciendo Gallardo es sensacional.” (“The work Gallardo is doing is sensational.”)
What are Gallardo’s credentials that have him to linked to one of the most storied clubs in the world? In short, it’s his combination of youth, experience, a commitment to attacking football and an impressive CV as a player.
Now in his sixth year in charge, he has experienced great success at River; he has won the Copa Libertadores twice, and will have a chance to make that three in this year’s final later this month against Flamengo. Managing a club for six years is extremely rare in South America. Demands and needs change quickly due to the fact that the best players are continuously being sold off, mostly to Europe. As Guardiola pointed out, at River Plate “every year the players leave, but the work continues.”
Compensating for this has given Gallardo a depth of experience beyond most coaches of his experience.
Gallardo is credited with being proficient at reading the opposition, accurately assessing his own resources and making adjustments to the tactical plan, all without confusing his players. When he first took over at River, he used a 4-4-2 formation, featuring the old-fashioned Argentine diamond — a holder in front of the centre-backs, two mixed midfielders either side and the traditional No. 10, the position Gallardo had played.
On occasions he has even shifted to a back three — the first leg of last year’s Libertadores final against Boca being a prime example.
Marcelo Gallardo guided River Plate to the 2018 Copa Libertadores title over Boca Juniors. Denis Doyle/Getty Images
He was a top-class attacking midfielder in his playing days, subtle and skillful, with over 40 caps and two World Cups for Argentina to his credit. His playing career is mostly associated with River Plate, but he also played in Ligue Un (France) with Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco. He also played in MLS and at Nacional de Montivideo. where he ended his playing days and promptly started coaching the side, taking them to the Uruguayan league title.
Signing History of Marcelo Gallardo
Statistics
Gallardo played in two World Cups: France1998 and Korea-Japan 2002
The next test will be the Copa Libertadores final, now a one game final. It should be a tough challenge, as Flamengo is an attacking team under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus.
If River prevail they will once again head to the FIFA Club World Cup — the one tournament where Gallardo has always come up short. In 2015, his side scraped by with a 1-0 semifinal win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan, before being overwhelmed in the final against Barcelona, 3-0. Last year, River did not even make the final, falling on penalties to Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates.
Regardless of the Club World Cup, a tournament that is not widely followed, Gallardo is the “in-demand” coach of the moment. Spanish press call him “El director técnico de moda.”
Both Barcelona and Miami have maintained contact with people connected to Gallardo, according to Argentinean publications. It was also reported that Miami Sporting Director Paul McDonough had been to Argentina during the past few months. Whether this was to talk to people connected with the coach or to talk to potential players is not known. For his part, Gallardo has been very smart, with indications that he will not sit down and talk about a possible exit until after River’s last game this year. Strictly speaking that would be in December when the Argentina Superliga season ends.
For Miami, hiring an Argentine coach makes sense, seeing that the first two players the club signed are both from Argentina, making for an instant cultural connection for two promising players. It is also a strategy that worked well for Inter Miami Sporting Director Paul McDonough when he was with Atlanta United. It was clear from early on indicated that the Five Stripes were going be very ambitious by building top-of-the-line training grounds, spending significant sums in MLS terms to acquire players and hiring an internationally well-known coach in Tata Martino, who had once led FC Barcelona and the Argentinean national team.
Inter Miami CF is overdue for announcing its head coach. Managing owner Jorge Mas previously said he was expecting to have a coach named by the end of September, later changed to October. That date has now come and gone. As each day passes without a coach being named, the most plausible explanation I can think of is that the head coach is someone who is still busy. Marcelo Gallardo clearly fits that description. What else would explain the hold up?
I’ve written before about the shortlist of top coaching candidates for the new club. While only those inside the negotiations can say for sure (which obviously they won’t), if the first head coach was going to be Santiago Solari or Gennaro Gattuso, or any other manager not currently employed, it’s hard to understand why that person is not already in Miami helping to plan for the inaugural season.
The Copa Libertadores Final is November 23. If you ask me, there will be a coaching announcement at the end of this month.
Nike will be new kit supplier beginning with the 2020/21 season.
Liverpool join Chelsea and Tottenham as top tier EPL clubs with Nike kits
MIAMI, Fla. (October 28, 2019) —
Liverpool FC have won a legal battle with Boston (MA)-based New Balance in the London Commercial Court and are now free to sign a new deal with Nike.
Pending an appeal by New Balance, it brings to an end the ongoing dispute surrounding which apparel provider would outfit the Premier League side’s kit from the 2020/21 season, which has been unclear since the start of the year.
Liverpool home shirt | Photo: Liverpool FC
Liverpool had made clear their intentions to switch to Nike once their partnership with New Balance, which dates back to the 2015/16 season, expired and had held extensive talks with the brand. The club rejected New Balance’s offer of a matching clause proposed for the existing contract over the summer.
New Balance took the European Champions to court over their alleged refusal to honour a £45m-a-year deal (€50.9, $55.9 million), which expires in May 2020. They alleged that under the terms, the footwear firm is entitled to renew its sponsorship if it matches any competitor’s offer, and that Liverpool had breached the contract by not renewing the contract.
New Balance World Headquarters in Boston, MA
Opening the firm’s case last week, Daniel Oudkerk QC said the key issue was whether New Balance had matched “the material, measurable and matchable terms of a third-party offer.”
Liverpool countered that New Balance had not matched Nike’s offer, which includes a commitment to sell licensed products in at least “6,000 stores worldwide, 500 of which shall be Nike-owned”. Guy Morpuss QC, the lawyer representing the Premier League club, set out to show New Balance’s claim it could distribute the club’s kit to 40,000 stores was “a myth”, and that the company had “grossly overstated” the number of stores to which it could distribute. Moreover, Liverpool argued that Nike could deliver far greater total revenue than New Balance could, reflected by Nike reportedly agreeing to pay the Reds a 20 percent royalty on net sales of Liverpool products.
Nike reportedly agreed to pay the club UK£30 million (US$36 million) per year, compared to the UK£45 million (US$58 million) New Balance currently pays. However, it would also promote the team through other high-profile athletes and influencers, including tennis legend Serena Williams, basketball star LeBron James and the musician Drake. Nike would also distribute the new kit through an estimated 6,000 global stores, compared to New Balance’s 3,000.
Chris Davis, New Balance vice-president of global marketing and sports marketing, and Kenny McCallum, New Balance general manager of global football, were both cross-examined extensively during Friday’s proceedings.
Davis’ testimony Testifying in court basically admitted that the company had made “errors” on the number of retail outlets initially planned.
Liverpool’s legal team argued that this was evidence New Balance was unable to match the terms offered by Nike. New Balance would have to double their number of stores, especially in the Far East, where their actual outlets were much lower than planned. Other evidence presented by the club’s barristers was the fact that a large number of New Balance stores sold only the company’s footwear and not replica kits.
Giving his ruling in London, Mr. Justice Teare of the High Court ruled in Liverpool’s favour, finding that “the New Balance offer on marketing was less favourable to Liverpool FC than the Nike offer.” A full written statement from the judge will follow but he told the court: “For the reasons given in the judgment handed down, the claim from New Balance is dismissed.”
In his ruling, Mr Justice Teare said: “Liverpool FC is not obliged to enter into a new agreement with New Balance.”
The court also heard that Liverpool spent more than £555,000 on the case, with 20% to be paid by New Balance.
Liverpool will now move ahead to finalise a five-year deal they have agreed to in principle with Nike, who have apparently already spent nearly UK£6 million (US$7.7 million) on kit design. Liverpool and Nike have worked together for the past two months. [The Reds claim Nike’s offer to them, which they apparently had accepted in principle in August, amounted to a legally binding obligation to contract with Nike.] The two sides have already agreed on designs for the replica kits and training kits for the 2020-21 campaign, while Nike have reserved factory space to manufacture 2.9 million units over the course of next season and have already invested more than $5.8 million in fabric.
While the possibility of an appeal of the court’s dismissal is possible, the relationship between New Balance and Liverpool is irretrievably damaged, and even if New Balance won on appeal, forcing Liverpool to work with them for another five years is not going to happen. The only question would be damages owed by Liverpool for breach of contract. A New Balance spokeswoman said the firm was disappointed, adding: “We believe strongly that we matched the competing offer and would have delivered many more years of record-breaking kit sales.”
Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah celebrate in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield on Sat. Oct 26, 2019.
US-based broadcaster ESPN has retained domestic broadcast rights to the second and third tiers of the US club soccer system after extending its deal with the United Soccer League (“USL”).
The Disney-owned network has signed a three-year deal that covers TV and digital rights to the USL Championship, the second tier of the US Soccer system, as well as the third-tier USL League One until 2022.
“We are thrilled to continue with ESPN and ESPN+”
Court Jeske, USL Executive Vice-President
Under the terms of the agreement, ESPN has committed to tripling the number of USL games shown across its family of channels, including the addition of Spanish-language telecasts on ESPN Deportes and expanded coverage on its direct-to-consumer streaming service ESPN+.
The relationship between the USL and ESPN will enter its fifth full year in 2020 as the league celebrates its 10th anniversary season. Under the new agreement, 18 regular-season games from the Championship will air on ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU or ESPN Deportes annually in addition to the USL Championship Final. All other matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with the United Soccer League, and showcase the USL Championship and USL League One competitions across ESPN networks and ESPN+ through this new agreement,” said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN Senior Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions.
Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed but, according to sources cited by The Athletic, ESPN will pay the USL a rights fee ‘in the low seven-figure range’.
“We are thrilled to continue with ESPN and ESPN+,” said USL executive vice president Court Jeske. “USL is an organisation that aims to put the fans first and we know that supporters across the country will be very pleased with this new three-year agreement and the exposure it brings.”
Court Jeske, USL Executive Vice-President, speaking at Soccerex USA 2019 in Miami. | Photo: Russo Soccer
As well as the USL, ESPN holds rights to a number of top soccer properties, including Major League Soccer (MLS), Italy’s Serie A, England’s FA Cup, and the qualifiers for the UEFA 2020 European Championship.
