The North American Soccer League has made big strides to broaden its fanbase in 2016, signing major agreements with digital and broadcast outlets this week. Meanwhile, Indy Eleven and Minnesota United have bolstered their rosters with veteran signings.
NASL will become the first North American professional league to be broadcast live on beIN Sports. At least 34 NASL matches will air live on the network in 2016, starting with a southern Florida derby between the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Miami FC this Saturday. (REPORT)
ESPN3 will also partner with NASL for a second straight year, with the network streaming over 100 games this season. (REPORT)
NASL announced on Monday a partnership with AS.com that would bring Spanish-language digital content to fans of the league. (REPORT)
Puerto Rico FC added two more players on Wednesday in preparation for its inaugural season. Experienced defender Cristiano Dias joins from Minnesota United, and young midfielder Tyler Rudy joins from the New England Revolution. (REPORT)
On Wednesday, Indy Eleven announced the cub had signed Colombian striker Jair Reinoso. The forward has scored 79 goals in 185 games in his club career, which has spanned across South America and Asia. The Eleven also announced the release of Stephen DeRoux, Dragan Stojkov, and Dino Williams. (REPORT)
Minesota United signed defender Jeb Brovsky on Monday. The 27-year-old MLS veteran most recently plied his trade with New York City FC. (REPORT)
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What do you think the partnerships with beIN and AS will do for the league? How is Puerto Rico FC shaping up? Will Reinoso shine for Indy Eleven this season? Do you think Brovsky will make a difference in the Minnesota United backline?
Share your thoughts below.
BeIN tv deal will definitely increase exposure. True, BeIN is not in every home, but it’s the channel that carries the best league in the world, La Liga, alongside Italian, French leagues, League Championship, etc.
Definitely a step in the right direction for NASL.