One Soccer Nation Insights

Insights from Inside the Game

In-depth analysis, thought leadership, and expert perspectives on the business of soccer.

Insights article cover: USL's Revenue-Sharing Vote Is the Third Piece of a Sequenced Build, Not a Standalone DealIndustry Analysis

USL's Revenue-Sharing Vote Is the Third Piece of a Sequenced Build, Not a Standalone Deal

USL's men's professional clubs approved a new national revenue-sharing model, one week after ratifying a five-year labor deal covering the USL Championship and the incoming USL Premier. The sequencing, not the vote itself, is what a disciplined reader should notice.

October 7, 20266 min read
Insights article cover: The Academy's Missing Line Item: Why Clubs Are Treating Education as InfrastructureThought Leadership

The Academy's Missing Line Item: Why Clubs Are Treating Education as Infrastructure

A wave of MLS, MLS Next Pro, and USL academies are formalizing academic partnerships, not because it is trendy, but because eligibility, reputation, and player retention now depend on it.

Aug 26, 20267 min read
Insights article cover: Hearts of Pine's Cassidy Point Plan Is a Demand Story. The Financing Story Is Still Missing.Stadiums

Hearts of Pine's Cassidy Point Plan Is a Demand Story. The Financing Story Is Still Missing.

Portland Hearts of Pine announced a $50+ million waterfront stadium at Cassidy Point. The demand case is as strong as any in USL soccer every home match sold out, a season-ticket waitlist bigger than the current venue. But the capital stack is the chapter that hasn't been written yet.

Aug 6, 20267 min read
Insights article cover: Entry Is Screened. Tenure Is Not. Mark O'Neill on Football's Real Regulatory GapThought Leadership

Entry Is Screened. Tenure Is Not. Mark O'Neill on Football's Real Regulatory Gap

Mark O'Neill is a PhD researcher studying whether football's ownership regulations actually protect anyone. On the One Soccer Nation Podcast, he walked through what the rulebook catches, what it misses, and who pays for the gap.

June 24, 20268 min read
Insights article cover: What Orange County SC Teaches Investors About Building a Modern USL ClubClub Ownership

What Orange County SC Teaches Investors About Building a Modern USL Club

Dan Rutstein, President (Business) at Orange County SC, breaks down how pro/rel, stadium strategy, fan ownership, and player trading combine to create a sustainable modern soccer club and what investors need to understand about each.

June 17, 20268 min read
Insights article cover: From Fighter to Fund Manager: How Nicholas Edwards Wants to Put Fans and Athletes in the Owner's BoxClub Ownership

From Fighter to Fund Manager: How Nicholas Edwards Wants to Put Fans and Athletes in the Owner's Box

Former MMA athlete turned sports investor Nick Edwards is reshaping how capital flows into the sports ecosystem. As co-founder of Champion Venture Partners, he's building a model that opens sports ownership to athletes and everyday fans.

June 10, 20267 min read
Insights article cover: How Community Capital, Stadium-First Thinking, and USL Pro/Rel Are Reshaping Lower-Division SoccerClub Ownership

How Community Capital, Stadium-First Thinking, and USL Pro/Rel Are Reshaping Lower-Division Soccer

Sporting Cascades FC in Eugene offers one of the most compelling ownership and stadium stories in the USL ecosystem built as a community asset first, and a business second.

May 27, 20266 min read
Insights article cover: USL's Latest Move Signals a Bigger Play: Control the Infrastructure, Control the GameNew Markets

USL's Latest Move Signals a Bigger Play: Control the Infrastructure, Control the Game

A recent announcement from the United Soccer League reinforces a pattern that investors and operators can no longer ignore. This is not just about expansion. It is about control.

May 22, 20265 min read
Insights article cover: USL and Santa Rosa: A Strategic Play for Northern California's Next Professional Soccer MarketNew Markets

USL and Santa Rosa: A Strategic Play for Northern California's Next Professional Soccer Market

The USL has entered exclusive negotiations with the City of Santa Rosa to bring professional soccer to Northern California a signal of how the league continues to identify and activate underserved, high-potential secondary markets.

May 20, 20265 min read