By AARON CRANFORD
MLS continues to increase its global exposure after partnering with Brazilian broadcaster Globosat, a Rio de Janiero-based cable and satellite provider.
The four-year deal will give the largest pay-TV operator in Latin America the opportunity to telecast at least two MLS regular season matches per week, including the All-Star Game, at least one Decision Day match, half of the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup.
“This new agreement with Globosat is further illustration of the growing demand for Major League Soccer in the global media rights marketplace. With Flavio Augusto da Silva’s ownership of Orlando City SC and with over 15 Brazilian players in MLS, including Kaká, there is clearly an increased desire for MLS content in Brazil,” said Gary Stevenson, president and managing director, MLS Business Ventures.
“We are excited to be partnered with such a powerful brand in Globosat and are confident that together we will create even greater awareness for the sport, our clubs and our stars.”
Every year, matches will alternate between Globosat networks SporTV 1, SporTV 2 and SporTV 3. MLS also retains the right to broadcast one game per week for free-to-air TV, which will give the league an opportunity to add to its ever-growing fan base in Brazil.
JERMAINE JONES JOINS NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Jermaine Jones has been recovering from a sports hernia injury in Los Angeles, but the New England Revolution midfielder is back in town.
The Revolution broke the news that the US international participated in training on Thursday.
“I would say the toughest part (of rehabbing) was to watch the games from TV,” Jermaine Jones told reporters at Gillette Stadium. “You’re a member of this team, so you want to help them in the beginning.”
While he is now training with the squad, Jay Heaps told New England Revolution on Wednesday that Jones will hopefully be “ready to go at some point in the next week or so.”
TIMBERS ACQUIRE ISHMAEL YARTEY ON LOAN FROM FC SION
The Portland Timbers continue to draw in the MLS season, but their attack just got a little bit stronger with the addition of Ghanaian winger Ishmael Yartey.
The 25-year-old hops across the pond from Switzerland’s FC Sion to join the Timbers on loan after making 27 appearances for the Swiss club since 2013.
Meanwhile, Ghana called up Yartey for two 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification games in 2012, but he did not make an appearance and has yet to make his debut for the senior squad.
SAN JOSE ADDS GOALKEEPER TOMAS GOMEZ
San Jose Earthquakes inked third-round draft pick Tomas Gomez on Thursday.
The 22-year-old played four years at Georgetown University, racking up 36 shutouts in goal, a school record, and three All Big East Conference Team honors.
The rookie was originally drafted by Columbus Crew SC, but after they passed on the young goalkeeper, San Jose swooped in to sign.
PERK TO MISS 2015 MLS SEASON, LA GALAXY SIGN TREY MITCHELL AS REPLACEMENT
Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Perk will miss the rest of the year after undergoing a successful surgery to fix his dislocated and fractured left ankle.
The 25-year-old played in two games for the Galaxy last season, wherein LA won both matchups. With Rowe being unavailable, LA also announced the signing of Trey Mitchell on Friday.
“Trey is a talented goalkeeper who can provide us with solid depth,” LA Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena told the Los Angeles Galaxy. “We are happy to add him to our roster and look forward to his contributions as a member of our team.”
CHICAGO FIRE ADD MIDFIELDER VICTOR PEREZ
Spanish Segunda Division side Real Valladolid have sent Victor Perez on loan to the Chicago Fire after three weeks MLS play.
“We’re pleased that we are able to have Victor join us in Chicago,” Fire head coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop said.
“He is a dynamic midfielder and fills a position where we were looking for added depth,” Yallop added. The loan is a great opportunity for us to bring in a quality player in the early portion of the season and when the time comes, evaluate our options in regards to extending his stay with the Fire.”
Perez has recently spent time on loan with La Liga’s Levante, making five appearances. Before the loan, he made 87 appearances and scored 11 goals for Real Valladolid.
—–
What do you think of MLS partnering with Globosat? When do you see Jermaine Jones making his 2015 MLS debut? Think Yartey will give Portland a boost in attack?
Share your thoughts below.
Brian Perk =! Brian Rowe. I think you got your Brian’s mixed up for the LA Galaxy. It was Brian Perk that underwent successful Ankle Surgery, not Brian Rowe. While both were successful UCLA goalkeepers, It was Brian Rowe who started the first two 2015 Galaxy games in-goal . During Penedo’s international duty. Rowe will be the number one GK with Trey Mitchell or even one of the young Los Dos GK’s, like Frenchman Clement Diop, serving as backup
Oh my sweet God! Its NOT better THEN MLS. its better THAN MLS!!! After my mission to see MLS become the number 1 league in the world,my next mission systematically correct this often repeated grammatical nightmare. And i wont rest until Ive succeeded. THEN IS USED WHEN DISCUSSING TIME.
Glass house.
Look up grammar rules for: apostrophes and contractions (specifically, its vs. it’s), capitalization, and when to use numerals vs. the full spelling of a number.
That should be a good start.
MLS has failed into CONCACAF.
If MLS keeps getting tv deals from other countries, then MLS will grow to be a top league one day, good job but now MLS team owners should act like real billionaires and take their teams do the real level.
Imagine having an MLS network in the U.S. And Canada, MLS fans would go crazy but if MLS does ever create and MLS network, maybe it would be the best time to change the name of the league and modify the logo a little.
How about NAPS, North America premier soccer, people would refer to it as NAPS all over the world, in English and Spanish.
I’m really hoping you’re not in marketing on any level.
Yes a league called NAPS would be a game changer…NOT….
You are very amusing…
LoL awesome.
El Paso by any other name is still El Paso…
Although you do bring up an interesting point. Anyone wanna bet that this TV deal was finalized over the winter, and The Don and the league withheld the announcement until after the cba with the players union was done? Wonder if there’s more TV contract / revenue increase announcements coming down the pike.
Yeah, it’s *shocking* that the deal with Sky Sports and this one were not announced in the off-season…
All these T.V. deals!! no increase salary cap and max salary (non-DP)!
Uh… I’m guessing you’re only reading this article because you follow Brazilian soccer? New MLS collective bargaining agreement nearly doubled the minimum salary for MLS players.
the min bump was huge.. but we are still waiting on what the cap looks like… no news is probably a sign that it didn’t increase much.
http://www.sounderatheart.com/2015/3/5/8156205/mls-cba-details-salary-cap
its only increased total cap 15% over 5 years which doesnt even outpace global salary inflation in the game.
Scott makes a good point, there is a lot of money coming in and there hasnt been much of an increase in cap. MLS remains a minor league for at least 5 more years in terms of the global market.
huh, didn’t it go from around 2.5mil to 4 mil? I read that somewhere, maybe here. As for what numbers Don withheld from players, lets just say potential owners wouldn’t be falling over themselves to put in an expansion bid if the actual profit numbers from two years were being used. All these international TV deals are great, too bad no other country in Concacaf is doing the same. Even those leagues in north America that claim to be better then mls are lagging horrifically in gaining exposure overseas.
It’s just over $3mil now and it will increase 7% per year to just over $4mil in 2020.
2019…this is the first year retroactive to the start of the year
So just how much money should MLS spend to compete on this “global market” you speak of? Because only few teams can actually throw the cash around so I hope you’re not counting them in your categorization. So what league should MLS match to be “major” in your eyes?
All of the tv deals are spread evenly throughout MLS (at least the portion that goes to the teams), so every team should have the cash to throw around. We’re not talking DP’s here, we’re talking regularly salaried players.
Note: Barca is making more money in U.S. than entire MLS teams together. Also MX is destroying MLS in ratings in the U.S.
Making players like Zusi, Besler, Espindola, Alonso, Wondo and etc…into DP’s: won’t increase TV ratings or bring new soccer fans into MLS, or sell more jerseys. I am saying ; “600k or a bit more with bonuses rather make them DP. Not causing salary cap issues.”
“MX is destroying MLS in ratings in the U.S.” …everyone knows that SilverRey. But lets be honest, its almost entirely mexicans and mexican-americans like me who are watching Liga MX. Aside from a V contract in Spain, Liga MX isn’t doing anything anywhere else.
World’s best TV market: U.S.A.
I am talking about the max salary, which too low and lower standards for DP.
I don’t doubt that the owners are making money, but this has to be a sarcastic joke no ?
IF NOT, how much are you going to increase the salary cap on this deal ?
Split the million dollars ( guessing ) by 20. You get $50k per team. Divided by 30 players per team equals $1600 per player.
Jack it up !!!!
fairly certain that only roster slots 1-20 count against the cap.
Do you really think the 15% cap increase over 5 years puts MLS on its way to become “a top league by 2022”?
Where in the world are they getting a 15% increase? You would not be trying to do a one-to-one here now are you? You say they get TV money (which is still paltry compared to the “top” leagues) and now MLS has to go and get spend happy?
According to Paul Tenorio, MLS cap in 2015 will be $3.74m, 2016 $4m, 2017 $4.28m, 2018 $4.58m and 2019 $4.9m. This also includes the minimum wage in 2019, being 80K. And since MLS salary cap is a soft cap, DP’s & HG/Gen Adidas dont count against the cap. Also because DP’s are not included in the CBA,MLS can add as many DPs per year, as they want.I also keep hearing rumors about Max DP slots & other new things MLS has added,to allow teams to spend more money.
Current minimum salary is fair, just add some bonuses without salary cap for good performances.