The '12 MLS Business Summit began this morning in Columbus, Ohio, and the event is just the second of its kind in the league’s 16-year history. The first was in Chicago in '08. MLS traditionally has used its All-Star Game week and its MLS Cup championship game to convene league-wide meetings, but MLS Commissioner Don Garber wanted to bring back the summit this year.
Among the featured speakers are U. S. national men's soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann, whose team won its World Cup qualifier over Jamaica last night at Crew Stadium. Claude Ruibal, the Global Head of Sports Content for YouTube, will speak this afternoon, as will Garber, MLS President Mark Abbott, Soccer United Marketing President Kathy Carter, MLS CMO Howard Handler and Todd Durbin, the league's Exec VP/Player Relations & Competition. A panel discussion entitled "Brand Building in a Fragmented Marketplace" will be held this afternoon, featuring execs from key league partners including Panasonic, AT&T and Quaker Oats. Thursday will be for departmental meetings.
