Thank you to NetGalley and Globe for this ARC e-copy of The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant by Rick Burton and Norm O’Reilly.

This textbook covers, as promised, the rise of the MLS from a sports business perspective. Examples of supportive key content within the pages include tables, photographs, insider perspectives, and plenty of recorded data with dozens of sources, including real life experience.

While the beneficial effects of David Beckham and Lionel Messi—namely Beckham—joining the MLS in their careers clearly cannot be overstated, I do believe they were overstated here. My one complaint with this book would be its authors’ penchant for repetition.

As an attendee of the iconic Inter Miami vs. L.A. Galaxy game on February 25, 2024, I have witnessed the heights that the MLS has grown to firsthand. Just like the informed, expert authors of this book, I am hopeful for the rise of soccer in America with the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup and World Cup.

☆ ☆ ☆ - GOOD