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Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas is the lead writer on the business of both hockey and soccer. His coverage of the global sports spans from the NHL to MLS and other U.S. professional leagues, U.S. Soccer, FIFA and European soccer. Prior to joining the Sports Business Journal in 2014, Thomas wrote for Bloomberg News, Crain’s New York Business and the Financial Times Group, covering a variety of business topics. A native New Yorker, Thomas is based in SBJ’s New York City office.

NYCFC finds new fans via College Pass program

NYCFC and Real Salt Lake are the only two MLS teams offering a ticket subscription that guarantees a ticket to every match in an unassigned seat, similar to the Ballpark Pass programs in baseball. But the MLS clubs limit buyers to college students. NYCFC, which plays its...

NWSL aims to make most of spotlight

On the eve of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the NWSL once again finds itself at a crossroads. The league, in its seventh season, is perhaps at its most stable point yet. No previous U.S. professional women’s soccer league ever surpassed three. ...

Content is key to U.S. Soccer campaign

For U.S. Soccer Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer Jay Berhalter, the federation and its partners have one objective for their collective activation for the U.S. women’s national team around the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup:   “We want to take this...

MLS: The lure of ‘the last frontier’

In January, four of MLS’s biggest offseason acquisitions came to the league’s New York City headquarters. The group, all previously hailing from well-known organizations, were swept through a two-day crash course on the league, which included a sit-down with MLS Commissioner Don Garber, a tour of the league’s newly...

Inter Miami Chooses Elevate As Premium Sales Agency

Inter Miami CF has selected Elevate Sports Ventures to serve as its premium sales agency, assisting on season, premium and individual ticket sales strategy. Elevate also will help with servicing and hospitality for the club's inaugural MLS season in '20. Inter Miami is now accepting deposits to reserve priority...

Gritty Wins Best In Sports Social Media

Gritty has had quite a year. Revealed at the start of the current NHL season as the mascot of the Flyers, his arrival was initially viewed with great skepticism by an often-critical Philadelphia fanbase. But his quirky and unpredictable personality has transformed him into a beloved personality....