You might not think American soccer has contributed anything to the world of football - but this conversation will change your mind. In Episode 106 of the Because Football Podcast, we talk with seasoned sports marketer Mike Harmon, who created the logo and branding for Columbus Crew of MLS, and whose career started in the MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) days.

In this conversation, Mike shares some great stories from the youthful days of pro soccer in the US, as well as his perspective on sports marketing, partnerships, and how to properly value fans in an era where growing disillusionment and alienation threatens the trust between clubs and their supporters.

Mike worked directly with US soccer benefactor Lamar Hunt and touts a career spanning nearly every major sports league and governing body, domestic and international, from the NFL, NBA, Premier League, and more. We talk about what actually worked in early MLS (hint: 40% soccer, 60% entertainment), why the fan has to come first in everything, and his concerns about World Cup ticketing. and why he believes this summer is different from every "soccer's moment" that came before.

He also talks about his new role as CMO of Fanchize, a fan economy platform which connects soccer fans with clubs and opens up a new frontier of rewards, incentives, and exclusive fan experiences.

If you want to understand how American soccer got here and learn from one of the people who built it, then you’ll get a lot out of this episode.

Connect with Mike here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-harmon-75b73b2/

https://www.instagram.com/michael.harmon.9469/?hl=en#

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

We are obsessed with soccer stories on this podcast - but we have been neglecting the youth! This episode changes that and focuses on how we can pass on our love of the game to the next generation of soccer fans.

In Episode 105 of the Because Football Podcast, we talk with Carlos D. Mojica, who has recently published a children’s book about soccer facts called “Goal!”.

Carlos is a bilingual communications and football media operations veteran who has worked at multiple levels of the sport including MLS, CONCACAF, and Leagues Cup, so why did he turn his sights to writing a book for kids?

In this episode, Carlos shares how he initially got started in soccer communications as a Media Relations and Hispanic Community Outreach officer for AFC Cleveland of the NPSL. This led to a role in the National Premier Soccer League head office, and nearly 6 years working for the Columbus Crew.

He has also served as a press officer for the Argentina National Team, MLS All-Star, and other North American competitions. Carlos breaks down how the knowledge he gained in a professional context served him while writing his book - and how he shifted his mindset to communicate with the next generation.

If you are changing paths or eager to break into the soccer media world, you will gain verified insight and inspiration from Carlos’s story!

Buy the book here:

https://www.quarto.com/books/9781577157090/goal

Connect with Carlos here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-d-mojica-978377b0/

https://www.instagram.com/cd.mojica/?hl=en

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

How can investing in the local community develop talent, increase trust, and build revenue for a brand new soccer club?

In Episode 104 of the Because Football Podcast, we talk with Noah Toumert, Director of Foundation for the newly announced Cleveland Pro Soccer of MLS Next Pro.

As a community organizer, nonprofit leader, and strategist, Noah is driven to building equitable access to soccer in Cleveland by a desire to see the US men’s national team lift the World Cup one day.

Noah's path to this role started with refugee youth soccer. He was working at a nonprofit in Cleveland when he met families who loved the game but had completely fallen through the cracks of the pay-to-play system. He helped turn informal pickup into organized teams, watched those kids grow into young adults, and saw firsthand what accessible youth sports can do. That experience shaped everything he's building now.

In this conversation, Noah explains why Cleveland Pro Soccer has prioritized their community foundation - launching before even announcing a team name or badge. He also calls philanthropy "the highest ROI marketing we can do."

He breaks down how a $1,500 street soccer tournament generated over a million dollars in social media impressions, why the US lacks soccer infrastructure compared to basketball courts, and what solidarity payments could change about American youth development.

He shares why hosting events and building mini pitches across Cleveland is a priority for the fledgling club, and how they seek to convince sponsors that doing good is good business.

A potent mix of social research, community engagement, sports marketing, and business strategy, this episode will help anyone trying to build community around a club, run events on a shoestring budget, or understand why American soccer development works the way it does.

Connect with Noah here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-toumert/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleveland-professional-soccer/

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

What does it take to build a professional soccer club from scratch in a market nobody expected? In Episode 103 of the Because Football Podcast, we learn from Brad Stith, Co-Founder and CEO of Athletic Club Boise, a new USL League One club.

For more than a decade, Brad has believed professional soccer belonged in Boise and this club is already breaking USL records before kicking a single ball.

Brad's resume is unique among leaders of third division soccer clubs - whether in the US or abroad. He was VP of Ticket Sales and Service for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA, founded his own sports agency consulting with franchises across all major American sports properties, and has supported multiple USL expansion launches across the country. For more than 20 years, he’s seen it and done it - he gets it.

When he moved back to his hometown of Boise, he saw something most outsiders missed - a top youth soccer market per capita, a diverse, soccer-hungry community that bought 29,000 tickets for an international friendly, and a thriving business ecosystem hungry to rally around something meaningful.

In this conversation, Brad breaks down how the club enrolled over 2,000 community members in the branding process, why they meet with dozens of local CEOs every Wednesday for lunch, and the philosophy that's driving their record-breaking ticket sales: owners don't own teams — communities do.

He also discusses the distinctions among fans in the American soccer market - the Premier League purists, Liga MX devotees, and how to engage them all in their local soccer scene.

Brad brought us multiple lightbulb moments and a proven, cultured perspective on how to sustainably build a pro soccer club in America. - through fans and corporate backing.

Whether you're building a club, running a youth program, or just trying to understand what "community-first" actually looks like in practice - you’ll gain a ton from this episode.

Connect with Brad here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradstith1/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/acboise/

https://www.instagram.com/acboise/?hl=en

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

Is it possible for one of the world’s biggest, most talented leagues to be an underdog? And if so, how can that league convince American brands to partner with a "foreign sports property" most CMOs can barely explain?

In Episode 102 of the Because Football Podcast, Santiago Lucio shares how has spent the last several years figuring that out at LALIGA North America. We talk with the league’s Head of Partnerships Sales in North America about the league’s cultural influence, growing audience, and the surprising challenge of selling a league that plays 5,000 miles away to massive American brands.

Santiago's path started near the bottom with a ticket sales internship at Richmond Kickers of USL Championship (it was the only paid internship gig he could find). A hundred cold calls a day led him to realize that commercial partnerships combined his love of soccer with curiosity and creativity. That discovery carried him through North Carolina FC, North Carolina Courage, and now to LALIGA North America, where he's targeting the continent’s biggest brands.

In this conversation, Santiago breaks down how he approaches brand relationships: know your value proposition before you prospect, ask questions instead of pitching, and talk only 20% of the time in meetings. He explains why LALIGA is essentially a "challenger brand" in the US, how they activate nationally without being tied to one city, and why they refuse to activate in the pay-to-play youth soccer space — choosing free clinics with legends like Diego Forlán instead.

Whether you're selling partnerships at a local club, building a brand strategy, or trying to understand how global soccer properties think about the American market — this episode gives you the blueprint.

Connect with Santiago here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/santiago-lucio-69278348/

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

How can professional soccer clubs connect to new potential fans, maintain relevance, and foster local community pride? San Jose Earthquakes of the MLS have an idea - influencer marketing deployed across their digital channels.

In Episode 101 of the Because Football Podcast, we talk with Prerna Aneja, the Bay Area club’s Digital and Influencer Marketing Coordinator. Her innovative approach plays a vital role in connecting the team with its supporters in dynamic and authentic ways.

But the origin of Prerna’s story with the Quakes isn’t what you’d expect - and actually paints a picture of how far the club has come in her 5 years with the team. Prerna Aneja's interview for the Quakes internship took a wild turn when the president asked if she'd ever been to a game.

Her honest answer: "I didn't know the club existed." Then she told him why and what they could do better. That candor launched a career in influencer marketing that's connecting the Bay Area's oldest soccer club to a new generation of fans.

In this conversation, Prerna breaks down how to find influencers who actually fit your story, how to measure the success of a campaign, and how to tell one story ten different ways across platforms. She shares her approach to crafting creative campaigns that amplify the club’s online presence and engage fans across digital platforms. She cites successful partnerships with local influencers and how she has leveraged social media trends to help the Quakes "grow the game” in the Bay Area - something they’ve been doing since 1974.

Whether you're running social for a club, building influencer partnerships, or trying to understand how to reach fans outside the soccer bubble — this episode shows you how.

Connect with Prerna here:

https://www.instagram.com/prerna_aneja/

www.linkedin.com/in/prernaaneja

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

What happens when you bring a CMO from Buick and Hanes into professional soccer? In Episode 100 of the Because Football Podcast, we chat with Sandra Moore, Chief Marketing Officer of Sporting Kansas City of MLS. After decades telling the story of automotive and fashion brands, Sandra pivoted to the world of professional football to answer a question many MLS clubs neglect: Who are we, really?

Sandra came into a club without a clear brand story. No consumer research. No data on what fans actually wanted. So she did something radical — she asked them. Focus groups with diehards. Surveys with casual soccer fans. Conversations with people who'd never set foot in a stadium. What she found surprised everyone: fans care as much about what happens in the stands as they do about what happens on the pitch.

In this conversation, Sandra breaks down how to define your club's story when wins aren't guaranteed, why engagement metrics matter more than impressions, and how Sporting KC is preparing for a World Cup that could reshape American soccer forever. Plus: the behind-the-scenes content that outperformed their player highlights (hint: it featured the kit men).

Whether you're building a brand at a pro club, running a youth program, or just trying to understand how soccer marketing actually works, this episode offers numerous takeaways to help you move forward.

Connect with Sandra Moore and Sporting KC here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandramoore2/

https://www.sportingkc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sportingkc

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your soccer content, events, and strategy? We can help!

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠

In Episode 99 of the Because Football Podcast, we discuss the rapid, massive change that has occurred in sports technology, particularly in the world of professional football, and the importance of relationship building to career success.

Paul Boanas carries 25 years of experience across the Sports Performance and Technology industry, starting his career at a time when VHS tapes were the norm and he would log hundreds of miles driving all over the UK just to deliver game film. He has held leadership roles at major companies such as Catapult Sports, Prozone and Playermaker, and has witnessed the skepticism, adoption, and current obsession over data in pro soccer.

In this conversation, Paul shares amazing stories from early in his career, including time as a consultant at his boyhood club of Middlesbrough Football Club, serving as part of the backroom support staff when the club won its first ever major trophy, qualified for Europe twice and had the club's higfhest ever league finish. For the past 4 years, Paul has been focused on helping start-ups and early stage companies to break into the industry.

And, as with many of our guests, Paul continually emphasizes the importance of trust building and relationships, given the football world is actually quite small and unforgiving.

It’s a fascinating discussion mixing personal anecdotes with sharp, honed expertise. Anyone planning to break into the pro sports market with their own enterprise is sure to get alot out of it!

Connect with Paul Boanas here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulboanas/

Connect with Because Football here:

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/because-football-media/⁠

Need help with your content strategy and production? We can help.

To get in contact with us, email becausefootballmedia [at] ⁠gmail.com⁠