SoccerBlogs

This is our last installment in a series of post setting out the top business stories in American soccer from 2011. We have looked at Portland and Kansas City while also discussing NBC's entry as a soccer broadcaster and FOX's big play for World Cup television rights. We will set up a vote to select the top story early next week.

Over the next couple of days (and in no particular order), we will present the top American soccer business stories of the year. Early next week we will conduct a vote to see which of the entrants you think is the winner. Yesterday we looked at the arrival of Portland and the re-birth of Kansas City.

Over the next couple of days (and in no particular order), we will present the top American soccer business stories of the year. Early next week we will conduct a vote to see which of the entrants you think is the winner. We'll start with two entrants today, one in Portland and the other in Kansas City.

Overall a pretty quiet holiday weekend in the world of American soccer. We'll start in Philly, where the Union have hooked up with a local confectioner to add a new sponsor to the team's list of brands. Goldendberg Candy Company, the maker of Goldenberg's Peanut Chews will have signage and other brand opportunities at PPL Park.

Things are slowing down around the holiday, so as we do every year around this time, we scatter some "best posts" among our usual content. So here is our interview with Justin McCord of FC Dallas. Have a great Christmas, Chanukah, weekend or whatever and we'll be back live on Monday.

Over the last couple of weeks, we posted our Q&A with Timbers VP of Marketing Cory Dolich and interview with Revs COO Brian Bilello.

The big business news of the day was the announcement that the naming rights deal between FC Dallas and Pizza Hut was coming to an end. The $1.2 million per year deal was a significant milestone when signed, and the loss of the naming rights agreement doesn't bode well for a franchise also struggling to secure a jersey sponsorship.

One of the biggest soccer business stories of 2011 was Major League Soccer's move from Fox Soccer to the newly named NBC Sports Network for broadcast of its second tier television package. Fox was a long standing partner of the league and now, buried in this biography of NBC Sports chief Mark Lazarus from the New York Times, comes the news that the league took less money from NBC than was being offered by Fox.

One of the big weekend stories involves America's most well known soccer player, Landon Donovan, and his decision to accept a short term loan deal to English side Everton. Though not a business story in the traditional sense, Donovan's temporary move has the added benefit of shining a global light upon Major League Soccer and bringing attention to the league.

San Jose city officials have approved a Planned Development permit for the construction of the proposed Earthquakes stadium. However, neighbors have until January 3 to appeal the granting of the permit. The team hopes to have the stadium complete by 2013. If there is no appeal, the team will move to the next step in next month, however an appeal could delay the process by weeks or months.

As we discussed through Twitter on Tuesday and was officially announced on Wednesday, the Dynamo's new home will officially become BBVA Compass Stadium. The new sponsor is a strong banking presence in Houston, with 80 branches in the city area and its corporate headquarters also nearby. BBVA is also the official naming sponsor of Spain's La Liga and has a long history of involvement with soccer on a global scale.

Time to start the annual end of the year process of lists. Over the next couple of weeks we'll review end of the year of posts and some of the top business stories of the year. Â We thought it makes sense to start by looking back a year to the end of 2010 at some of the top business stories from that year.

Because of MLS' relative newness to the sports scene, MLS fans have more "ownership" in the league's success. Unlike fans of the NFL, MLB and other mainstream sports, fans of Major League Soccer have real concern about their league and its place on the sports landscape. Fans work hard to bring friends to games, introduce family to the sport and cheer for MLS teams in international competitions.

Fairly quiet business weekend in American soccer, but here are a couple of stories worth noting. We'll start in New England, where owner Robert Kraft is pursuing a resort casino development across the street from Gillette Stadium, the current home of the Revs and Patriots. The story is significant to soccer fans only because of potential impacts on the Revolution's efforts to build a soccer specific stadium in the Boston area.

As we have done every year since starting this site, we think it is time to take a look at holiday ticket promotions around Major League Soccer. This year we will run similar posts over the next couple of weeks to cover the efforts of multiple teams to sell tickets over the holidays. We'll start with Colorado, where the Rapids are offering a Holiday 5 Pack which includes 5 of the most sought after matches, including the home opener, July 4th and the Galaxy visit combined with a free gift from adidas.

With everyone scrambling to buy just the right gift for the holidays, we thought it worth revisiting we did a few months back on the MLS shopping experience.

We have repeatedly posted about the MLS shopping experience. From a shortage of gear at brick and mortar retailers, to the absence of infant sized Galaxy items to the improved online experience, we have repeatedly written about procuring MLS items.

We wrote last week about Major League Soccer's efforts to keep the league relevant during the off season. The league is certainly making an effort in that regard with a couple of announcements today designed to keep fans interested and media reporting about the league. We'll start with big national broadcast news for the opening Major League Soccer weekend in 2012.

Once again FOX is promoting its English Premier League coverage as part of its Sunday sports package. The network is offering a high profile match-up (Arsenal/Manchester United) on the FOX mother ship as part of the lead-up to the network's live broadcast of the NFC Championship.   As we have reported, the network has seen great ratings from its re-broadcasts of the EPL and the live telecasts promises to generate an even larger audience.

Busy few days in Major League Soccer as teams have been aggressively signing players, preparing for the re-entry draft, unveiling jerseys and generally trying to remain relevant in the news cycle. While I've never personally understood the excitement around the release of a new kit, the oft criticized Revolution front office handled their unveiling rather well, usual social media to spread the word.

Sports Business Journal conducted its annual sports facilities survey and Red Bull Arena was voted the clear Number 1 among soccer specific stadiums. The Harrison, New Jersey garnered just over 23% of the vote, beating out LiveStrong Sporting Park and the Home Depot Center. PPL Park finished fourth with almost 10% of the vote.