Insider Sport’s weekly roundup spotlighting the key moves shaping the business of sport
This week, Major League Soccer (MLS) named Don Garber’s successor, Stephen Ross reorganised his sports holdings under a single chief executive, and Newcastle United hired a new head coach after Eddie Howe’s departure.
MLS names Berg to succeed Garber as commissioner
MLS announced on 3 August that Larry Berg will become its next commissioner on 1 January 2027. Don Garber, commissioner since 1999, will continue through the end of 2026 and then become chairman.
Berg, 60, is co-managing owner of Los Angeles FC and co-chair of the league’s Sporting and Competition Committee. He will divest his LAFC ownership stake. He previously held stakes in Serie A club AS Roma and Swansea City. The MLS Board of Governors ran the succession process with Korn Ferry, CAA and The Miles Group as advisers.
Garber grew MLS from 10 clubs to 30 during his tenure, adding San Diego FC in 2025. Berg said he was “honored to lead Major League Soccer into its next era”. He inherits a shift to a summer-to-spring calendar from the 2027-28 season and a new collective bargaining agreement to negotiate.
Ross names Sillman to lead Dolphins parent company as Garfinkel departs
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross named his son-in-law Daniel Sillman CEO of Ross Sports & Entertainment on 4 August. Tom Garfinkel stepped down as Dolphins President and CEO after 13 years and becomes vice chairman.
Ross Sports & Entertainment combines the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, the Miami Open tennis tournament and the Precision Drive Club under one entity. Sillman, 37, co-founded media-rights firm Relevent Sports and negotiated deals including a $1.4bn LaLiga–ESPN agreement and a $1.5bn UEFA–Paramount agreement.
He called it “an incredible honor to lead Ross Sports & Entertainment”.
General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, Head Coach Jeff Hafley and Vice-President of Football Operations Brandon Shore will report to Sillman. Ross, 86, has said he intends to keep the franchise in the family, with Sillman and his two daughters as his successors.
Newcastle appoint Jaissle as Howe steps down
Newcastle United appointed Matthias Jaissle as head coach on 5 August, replacing Eddie Howe, who stepped down on 1 August after almost five years at St James’ Park.
Jaissle, 38, signed a four-year deal. Newcastle paid Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli £9.5m (€11m) in compensation to release him. The German led Al Ahli to consecutive AFC Champions League titles and won back-to-back Austrian titles with RB Salzburg. CEO David Hopkinson described him as “one of the most exciting and highly regarded young coaches in football”.
Al Ahli is one of four Saudi Pro League clubs majority-owned by Newcastle’s owner, the Public Investment Fund.
Snapshot Moves
- Manchester United appointed Eva Olid as Women’s Super League head coach on 5 August, two days after Marc Skinner left by mutual consent following five years in charge. Olid joined from Hearts, where she won the Scottish Women’s Premier League title in May, and called the move “a dream come true”.
- The US Soccer Federation agreed a new contract with Mauricio Pochettino on 3 August, keeping him as men’s national team head coach through 2030. US Soccer said his remit widens to cover the national team pathway, youth soccer and coaching education.
We’re spotlighting the movers and shakers shaping the sports business every Friday.
Submit your people moves to Insider Sport’s Editor, Louis Thompsett, at [email protected] to be featured in the next edition of Sideline Moves.
Catch up on last week’s Sideline Moves, which reported the first FIFA official to quit over the World Cup sell-off plan.
