MLS Is Cashing In… Are They the Real Winner of the World Cup?

Today’s Free Kick! Newsletter is sponsored by the Flint City Bucks.

MLS is seeing a real bump from the World Cup — several teams are reporting ticket sales up more than 150% since the tournament kicked off, according to Front Office Sports data. The league leaned into the moment hard, launching what’s been called the biggest coordinated marketing push in its history, an ad campaign called “Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here.” Individual clubs got in on it too, running local promotions and viewing parties to keep the momentum going.

One standout example: Red Bull New York gave away two free tickets to first-time attendees through a “First Match on Us” program, and reportedly claimed all 5,000-plus tickets in the allotment. So on the ticket-sales side, the early read is that these efforts are working.

The “ratings stay mostly flat” part of the headline is where things get less rosy — TV viewership hasn’t jumped the way ticket sales have. The article also notes a scheduling quirk that probably didn’t help: none of the eight MLS players on the USMNT played in that Friday’s slate of games, and neither did stars like Lionel Messi or Robert Lewandowski. So the league’s converting World Cup buzz into people showing up at stadiums, but turning that into consistent broadcast audiences looks like a tougher lift.

At We Are Soccer, we're all about supporting the people, businesses, and events that make our soccer community stronger. If we believe in what they're doing, we're going to tell you about it. Today, we're spotlighting a fantastic company and an event you should absolutely consider attending.

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This is a unique opportunity to gather, learn, and grow within the soccer community. This expo will include workshops, seminars, and presentations from top coaches, industry experts, and influential brands in the soccer world alongside over 60 exhibitors in our expanded Exhibit Hall.

Attendees also benefit from networking opportunities, where they can connect with other coaches and businesses while exchanging ideas, and build relationships that extend beyond the event. Visit www.NorthAmericanSoccerExpo.com for more info.

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And random thoughts on the World Cup Halftime show!

Army Head coach, Brian Plotkin, enters his sixth year at West Point. Brooks sat down with Brian to discuss the 2025 season and the recruiting process at Army. Going to a military institution for college is very unique, but there are a lot of benefits to graduating from Army, Navy or Air Force. Brian also gives us some great soccer stories from his youth, college and pro soccer days!!

University of Massachusetts Senior Lecturer and historian Brian Bunk sits down with Brooks for an engaging conversation about his new book, The Shortest History of Soccer: From Ancient Kicking Games to the World's Most Popular Sport.

Packed into 272 pages, Brian traces the remarkable journey of soccer — from its ancient origins to the modern global phenomenon it is today. The book explores the rise of pay-to-play culture, the dark side of the beautiful game, and how soccer has evolved into one of the biggest businesses in the world.

In this interview, Brian shares what inspired him to write the book, the moment he fell in love with soccer, and what it really takes to research and compile a history of the world's most popular sport.

📖 Get your copy of the book at bookshop.org

Karen Scholl, author of Surviving Soccer, joins We Are Soccer to talk about the hilarious — and sometimes chaotic — reality of life as a soccer parent.
From logging endless miles on the road to soccer tournaments, to hunting down a decent dinner after late-night practices, to doing a last-minute gear check before the big match, Karen gets it. She's lived it — and she wrote the book on it. Literally.
Surviving Soccer is a witty, relatable read packed with fun quizzes to help you figure out exactly what kind of soccer parent you are. Whether you're the sideline screamer, the carpool hero, or the snack-bag legend, this book will have you laughing out loud and nodding along.
📖 Grab your copy of Surviving Soccer on Amazon

We Are Soccer takes you inside the game — exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and all-time legends who’ve shaped the sport.

Every Sunday at 9 PM ET, catch us live on YouTube as we break down the weekend’s biggest moments and look ahead at what’s coming in the soccer world. Prefer to listen on the go? New interviews drop every Tuesday and Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Coming Up:

• James DeCosemo — Head Coach, Central Michigan Women’s Soccer (Out now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts)

• Zach Ramsey- Washington Men’s Soccer, TST 7v7 and Getting Drafted by the Vancouver Whitecaps

• Tori Christ- Michigan State Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper Coach

• Kayla Briggs- Senior Midfielder Michigan State University Women’s Soccer

• Kennedy Bell- Senior Forward Michigan State University Women’s Soccer

• And More!!

The Flint City Bucks host Peoria City on July 24th at 7:30 PM at Atwood Stadium. That match is for the Central Conference Championship as the United Soccer League Two Playoffs are in Quarterfinal play! Get your tickets while they are still available. Ballard FC and Ventura County will be playing before at 3 PM for the Western Conference Championship.