NYCFC CEO Brad Sims on Building a Stadium, Fixing MLS Rules & The League’s Future Growth

In this special episode, The Cooligans go one-on-one with NYCFC CEO Brad Sims for an in-depth conversation about what it really takes to run a club in Major League Soccer. We kick things off with the long and complicated journey to get a stadium built in New York City—why it took so long, what hurdles had to be cleared, and what it reveals about how sports, politics, and business collide in one of the toughest markets in the world.

From there, we zoom out to the league level and tackle one of the biggest questions surrounding MLS today: why isn’t more of the country watching? Brad breaks down the challenges around broadcast, accessibility, and casual fan engagement, and explains why the league may need to rethink some of its rules and structure if it wants to truly grow its audience.

Finally, we look ahead at the future of MLS—where the league is headed, what success could look like in the coming years, and how it plans to compete in an increasingly crowded global soccer landscape. It’s an honest, revealing conversation that gives fans a rare look behind the curtain at how decisions are made and where the game is going in the U.S.

 

Timestamps:
(0:00) – Brad Sims joins The Cooligans

(3:00) -  The trials and tribulations behind NYCFC’s new stadium

(18:00) – How do clubs prepare to capitalize on Messi?

(24:00) - Will NYCFC target a big name signing soon?

(30:00) – How can MLS cap rules be used as an advantage?

(44:30) - How Brad Sims juggles the sporting and business side as CEO

(50:30) - What is MLS’ brand sales pitch?

(1:01:30) - Brad Sims explains why more Superteams are good for MLS

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