Top task for new MLS commissioner: Selling MLS to existing soccer fans

When Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber's tenure concludes at the end of the year, it will punctuate an exceptional period of growth and development in American pro soccer.

Under Garber's guidance, MLS exploded from 12 to 30 teams, built soccer-specific stadiums for the majority of its clubs, created mechanisms to bring global superstars into the league and develop young domestic talent, and established itself in the global football marketplace.

But as Garber departs, his successor still faces the league's biggest challenge of all: finally cementing major league credibility, both in North American sports and the larger soccer world.

The league's owners voted Monday to approve Larry Berg, a partial owner of Los Angeles FC, as the man to tackle that challenge.

Berg will officially take the role on Jan. 1, 2027, with Garber transitioning to the advisory role of chairman.

Berg takes the helm during a period of transition: On the field, MLS will play a short "sprint season" in early 2027 before transitioning to a fall-to-spring schedule in 2027-2028. Off the field, it appears ownership is nearing a new salary structure that will simplify spending rules and give teams more agency with how they allocate resources.

And he steps in at a time when it's becoming increasingly clear that soccer has achieved mainstream status as an American sport provided the product is worthy of it.

Despite a Sunday afternoon kickoff in the middle of July, the 2026 World Cup final was the most-watched non-NFL sports telecast in the United States since 1994. The stadiums across the tournament were full of (mostly American) fans despite exorbitant ticket prices. Research has consistently shown soccer has surpassed ice hockey in American fan popularity, and even baseball among younger fans.

And yet, despite MLS teams consistently ranking among the most valuable clubs in the world, American fans continue to prefer the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Liga MX for their TV viewing. The American media still generally consider MLS to exist outside the North American big four of MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL.

There is no magic bullet to solving those problems, but it starts with making the league more authentic and more competitively rigorous, as that is ultimately the appeal of those other competitions to American fans.

The good news for MLS is that Berg's background suggests he believes ownership should be aiming higher. Since their admission to the league in 2018, LAFC have been among the most aspirational teams in MLS, begging for more spending freedom in pursuit of domestic and international silverware.

The challenge will be inspiring 29 other ownership groups to show similar ambition. Some of that can come through reforms to the league's overly forgiving competitive structure. But a lot of it will depend on Berg's charisma and persuasive ability to convince MLS owners to believe in their own product and their own cities' fans.

It's a task even Garber struggled with at times. But it's a requirement if MLS is to keep growing.

--Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media