Bloomberg Business of Sports: "Business of Soccer Ep. 3: Mexico's Passion For The Game And Turning It Into Profits"

Date: October 20, 2025
Host: Vanessa Perdomo (Bloomberg)
Guests: Sam Porter (Co-Owner/Co-Manager, Club Necaxa; Chief Strategy Officer, Apollo Sports Capital) & Gonzalo Soto (Bloomberg Mexico City Reporter)

Episode Overview

This special edition of Bloomberg Business of Sports focuses on the business of soccer in Mexico, examining how the country’s deep passion for futebol is transformed into economic opportunity—especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon. The episode features in-depth conversations with Club Necaxa co-owner Sam Porter and Bloomberg reporter Gonzalo Soto, covering topics such as cross-border investments, the burgeoning relationship between Liga MX and MLS, media rights, the economic impact of hosting the World Cup, and the future growth trajectory of Mexican soccer both domestically and internationally.

Key Segments and Highlights

1. The Investment Case for Mexican Soccer

(01:59–07:53, 08:37–17:58)

• Sam Porter’s Sports Investment Background

  • Former Chief Strategy Officer at D.C. United.
  • Investment in Club Necaxa in 2021 with a diverse group of partners (including Eva Longoria, Justin Verlander, and Sean Marion).
  • Additional interests: Brooklyn Pickleball (Major League Pickleball) and Club Eki (soon to be rebranded as Internacional de Bogotá) in Colombia.

• Why Liga MX?

  • Global Appeal: Liga MX is the most watched soccer league in Mexico and the USA, surpassing even Major League Soccer in American viewership.
  • Scarcity & Opportunity: Few teams are up for sale; investing means seizing rare chances.
  • City Connection: The city (Aguascalientes) is integral to the club’s identity, with an unexpectedly international flavor due to major corporations like Nissan and Mercedes-Benz establishing presence there.

  “When you're making international sports investments… the city you're investing in, the club, is typically a large part of that city, and the city's a large part of that club.”
  – Sam Porter (08:48)

• Building a Brand – The ‘Nico’ TV Show

  • Success of 'Nico', a docu-series in the 'Welcome to Wrexham' vein, has helped spotlight Necaxa.
  • The show is seen as both a tool for building broader fan emotional engagement and a potential edge for attracting players through off-field exposure.

• Ownership Goals Shift

  • Initially, focus was on learning and steady improvements.
  • Now, aims to grow into a top tier Mexican football club through a blend of commercial innovation and competitiveness on the pitch.

  “Our goal is to break into that tier of Mexican football that's probably the top six, seven clubs... trying to find that right balance of commercial growth, staying true to our fans, and competing on the pitch.” – Sam Porter (14:36)

• Commercialization & Player Retention

  • The challenge of keeping top talent amid lucrative offers from bigger clubs remains significant. The TV show and increased visibility are hoped to help.

2. Cross-Border Synergy: American Investment and the Liga MX-MLS Nexus

(19:40–26:14)

• Rise of American Investment

  • American and international investors see Liga MX clubs as undervalued assets with major growth potential in comparison to other global leagues.
  • Current regulatory changes (FIFA’s stance against single ownership of multiple clubs in the same league) are making more teams available for acquisition.

• Media Rights Conundrum

  • Each Liga MX team currently negotiates their own domestic and international media deals—a model that’s increasingly seen as inefficient.
  • There’s strong movement toward collectivizing rights, which is expected to unlock higher revenues, following the path of leagues like La Liga and the Premier League.

  “When you're negotiating on a one-off basis, you have less information. These networks and broadcast partners do this again and again... When you're doing it as a league, you have considerably more leverage…” – Sam Porter (27:13)

• Comparing League Structures

  • MLS started as a business-driven entity with a focus on franchise value growth.
  • Liga MX's original structure was more about entertainment, but is now pivoting toward a more business-minded, asset-driven approach, including media rights restructuring and better governance.

3. Strategic Partnerships and Ownership Dynamics

(17:58–20:19, 31:36–33:56)

• The Eva Longoria Collaboration

  • Porter details how Eva Longoria became an investor and prominent face for Necaxa (as well as other ventures), helping bridge authenticity and global appeal.
  • Her international lifestyle, especially her ties to Mexico City, is seen as adding cultural credibility.

  "She's an amazing person, a great investor, really brings her all to everything she does. She looks a lot better in front of the camera than we do."
  – Sam Porter (18:15)

• Latin American Footprint

  • Investment in Colombian soccer driven by similar principles: passion for the game, large populations, underexploited commercial markets.
  • A broader vision: leveraging ownership in Latin markets for talent pipelines and operational synergies between clubs in different countries.

4. The World Cup Effect: Exploding Soccer Economics

(37:08–40:38, 62:13–63:50)

• Anticipated Impact of 2026 FIFA World Cup

  • Massive increases in attention, fandom, and economic activity expected across the region.
  • Owners and brands see this as an inflection point for soccer’s standing in North America.
  • Sam Porter draws parallels to U.S. experiences with transformational sports moments.

  "I think it's going to create fans which create sponsors, which create broadcast partners which create investors. So I think it's going to be a real flywheel..."
  – Sam Porter (39:43)

• Mexico’s Hosting Cities

  • Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey—chosen for size, soccer history, and infrastructure—each expect millions in economic impact and tourism.
  • Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium will become the first in history to host three World Cups.

  “They are expecting over 5 million visitors just in Mexico City during the World Cup… hotels have almost full occupation. And that is something that they're expecting again during the World Cup weeks.” – Gonzalo Soto (62:20)

5. Deep Dive: The Business and Culture of Liga MX (Interview with Gonzalo Soto)

(43:04–65:04)

• Historic Clubs and Mexican Soccer Structure

  • Traditional giants: Club America, Chivas, Monterrey, Tigres.
  • Financial muscle often dictates success, but playoff format allows for underdog triumphs—a difference from European leagues.
  • The playoff system, however, can depress the general level of competition during the regular season, leading to inconsistent quality and fan dissatisfaction.

  "The way our tournament is structured makes it able for other teams, teams that are not as rich... to compete for a championship and well, that's something that makes fans, you know, dream a little bit larger." – Gonzalo Soto (45:29)

• Adoption of American Models

  • Liga MX has paused relegation, and is structurally and commercially aligning with MLS, partly for increased revenue.
  • More American investors are being welcomed as clubs see new avenues for growth and media exposure.

• Challenges and Opportunities

  • Despite Liga MX’s vast U.S. popularity, revenue trails behind MLS due to structural and historical reasons.
  • The hope is that business reforms, collectivized media rights, and new financing will close this gap.
  • Fans’ main priority remains competitive teams and on-field success, but there is growing acceptance of international investment.

  “In the end, the Mexican fan just wants their team to win... and money does buy success in soccer.”
  – Gonzalo Soto (58:31)

6. Rivalry, National Pride, and World Cup Predictions

(63:50–65:10)

• Which National Team Will Advance Further in 2026?

  • Gonzalo Soto predicts Mexico will reach the quarterfinals, outpacing Team USA.

  “I think Mexico will reach finally the quarterfinals of the tournament, and I think the United States will stay around behind.”
  – Gonzalo Soto (64:02)

Notable Quotes

• “What we're trying to accomplish at Nikoxa... is that when you're a team like Nikoxa and you do well, people are going to come by your players... What we're trying to solve for by adding a Colombian team to our portfolio is to expand our access to young talent.”
  – Sam Porter (33:56)

• “There is a lot of opportunity there. And of course, US Investors are always looking for opportunities here in the Mexican League.”
  – Gonzalo Soto (56:52)

• “Azteca Stadium will be the first one to host three World Cups. I mean, nowhere else in the world has this happened. So it is an historic opportunity.”
  – Gonzalo Soto (60:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment Description | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:59 | Vanessa Perdomo introduces the episode's focus on Mexican soccer | | 03:10 | Sam Porter discusses Apollo Sports Capital | | 05:29 | Sam Porter's journey & investments in sports | | 08:37 | How the Necaxa deal came together | | 11:49 | Rebuilding Necaxa’s connection with Aguascalientes | | 13:48 | Goals and evolution since acquisition | | 17:11 | Impact of the TV show on Necaxa’s commercial side | | 17:58 | Eva Longoria’s involvement | | 20:58 | Rise in American investment in Liga MX | | 23:03 | Why Liga MX teams lag in valuation vs. MLS teams | | 25:45 | Media rights in Liga MX vs. US leagues | | 29:40 | Governance in Liga MX and lessons from MLS | | 31:36 | Private equity investment and Apollo’s vision for Liga MX | | 33:56 | Rationale for investing in Latin American soccer | | 37:08 | Anticipated World Cup boost for North American soccer | | 43:04 | Gonzalo Soto on Liga MX club history | | 47:11 | The impact of playoffs and Americanization of Liga MX | | 49:48 | Fan reactions to Liga MX-MLS collaboration | | 55:10 | Liga MX’s US viewership vs. business trajectory | | 58:31 | Mexican fans’ attitudes toward foreign investment | | 60:13 | Why Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey were chosen as World Cup hosts | | 62:20 | Economic expectations from the World Cup | | 63:50 | Prediction: How far will Mexico and the US go in the World Cup? |

Conclusion

The episode paints a comprehensive picture of Mexican soccer’s transformation from a passion-driven pastime to a hotbed of international investment and entrepreneurial opportunity. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a catalyst and American investment accelerating, Liga MX is on the cusp of a business and cultural renaissance. Still, challenges—including structural reforms, media rights negotiations, and maintaining local authenticity—remain top of mind for stakeholders on both sides of the border.