By Ben Nicholson
December 8 – Major League Soccer (MLS) has had a glowing report card sent home in respect to its progress in gender diversity. The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport delivered the league a solid B for gender diversity, which is a two-footed leap from 2014 when the league was brandished with a must-improve C+.
By Ben Nicholson
December 7 – David Beckham is al last enjoying some Floridian sunlight on his campaign to exercise his contractual option to create an MLS expansion team. After three years of toiling, and scorching in political heat, Beckham has secured a site for his team’s home stadium. The MLS approved the location, getting Beckham over a hurdle that last week threatened to indefinitely suspend the idea.
By Paul Nicholson
December 2 – The commercial rights for the Copa America Centenario 2016 which sparked the US Department of Justice’s deep dive into the murky world of football marketing on its continent, have been re-awarded.
December 2 – Former Brazilian powerbroker Jose Maria Marin, who pleaded not guilty to corruption charges when he was extradited to the United States from Switzerland as one of the infamous ‘Zurich Seven’, has been having trouble meeting the $1 million in cash required as part of his $15 million bail conditions.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – Disgraced former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who is trying every tactic he can to avoid being extradited to the United States to face corruption charges, now says the legal process is taking its toll on his finances and has filed an appeal challenging the order.
By Ben Nicholson
November 24 – Scottish giants Celtic could be on the verge of taking one of their regular season Scottish Premier League home games to the US. Their proposed opponents Dundee FC are already on board with the remaining obstacle being obtaining Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) approval.
By Paul Nicholson
November 20 – Organisers of the Copa America Centenario to be played in the US next year have selected 10 metropolitan areas across the country to host matches.
November 17 – CONCACAF director of sports integrity Dr Laila Mintas (pictured) is leaving the confederation. Mintas, one of the world’s most experienced experts in the battle against match-fixing, set up the integrity department in probably the world’s most challenged confederation when it comes to integrity.
By Ben Nicholson
November 13 – While FIFA insist that sports and politics are separate, the US has been exposed as using sport to host patriotic displays honoring American soldiers. A government oversight report released information detailing that the Department of justice had paid $6.8 million to sports teams for military tributes.
By Ben Nicholson
November 13 – LAFC, the newly formed Californian MLS club that has picked up their berth from the now defunct Chivas USA, look poised to have sorted out a new-build stadium to play in. While in Texas, the city of San Antonio has put down a stadium marker in its bid to land a new MLS franchise.
By Ben Nicholson
November 12 – In response to a pending lawsuit regarding concussion protection amongst youth ‘soccer’ players, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has changed its practices so as to improve concussion awareness and education, and ban heading altogether for U10s.
By Ben Nicholson
November 12 – David Beckham’s plan to build a stadium in Miami is again faltering following comments made by Tim Lieweke (pictured), who is leading negotiations for Beckham’s group. This time three private parties are holding out on selling their property and holding up Beckham’s MLS franchise dream.
By Paul Nicholson in New York
November 5 – The pay equity issue between men and women’s football could be solved by making the women’s game a much bigger business, said Sunil Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federations (USSF) and a FIFA executive committee member.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 4 – Like Jeffrey Webb before him, former Brazilian powerbroker Jose Maria Marin pleaded not guilty to corruption charges when he appeared in a federal court in Brooklyn on Tuesday following his extradition from Switzerland.
By Ben Nicholson
October 30 – Miami’s public education authority wants a piece of the Beckham action, having pitched Beckham’s group on the idea of developing a high school on the 10.5-acre city-owned site in Little Havana.