The Rival Pod: Episode 4 with Chris Blivin, VP at MLS

How MLS Is Building the Future of Fan Engagement

On The Rival Pod, Chris Blivin, Vice President of Consumer Products at Major League Soccer, broke down how MLS is thinking about global growth, gaming, fantasy, stadium strategy, and converting World Cup momentum into long-term club fandom.

With the 2026 World Cup on home soil and MLS now at 30 clubs, Chris shared how the league balances innovation with scale — and why lowering friction for fans is more important than chasing every shiny object.

Episode 4 of the Rival Pod

Below are the key takeaways, straight from Chris.

From Engineer to Emerging Tech Operator to MLS

Chris’ path into sports wasn’t linear.

He studied biomedical engineering, worked in optical telecom, then pivoted to Duke for business — where behavioral economics and marketing pulled him toward sports.

From there:

• Built the gaming & esports vertical at Lagardère (now Sportfive)

• Ran global esports betting at Genius Sports

• Built Web3 strategy at a game publisher

• Led partnerships at Candy Digital

• Ran emerging platform partnerships at the PGA Tour

That throughline: spotting emerging tech early and building businesses inside larger organizations.

“I’m still trying to build businesses — just with the resources of the MLS”

At MLS, that means treating each partnership like a startup inside the league.

Entrepreneurial Thinking Inside a League

Chris approaches MLS partnerships with a builder mindset.

Examples:

• Live-streaming an MLS match directly into EA Sports FC Mobile for the first time

• Creating one-of-one Apple TV patch trading cards using game-worn jerseys

• Expanding partnerships beyond “logo slapping” into platform-native activations

For him, innovation isn’t about novelty. It’s about helping partners grow their business — because if they win, MLS wins.

“If they win, we win.”

The Apple Consolidation Advantage

MLS’ full global media consolidation with Apple unlocks something other leagues can’t easily replicate.

With all rights in one place:

• Easier global distribution

• Cleaner messaging to fans

• More experimentation opportunities (like in-game streaming integrations)

The shift from MLS Season Pass into Apple TV proper should reduce confusion and expand reach to existing Apple TV subscribers.

The bigger unlock: alignment.

By having one global partner, MLS can experiment across gaming, media, and data without fragmented negotiations.

Gaming Is Active. Broadcast Is Passive.

One of Chris’ biggest insights from the FC Mobile live stream experiment:

Gaming is active. Broadcast is passive.

Watching a match is one behavior. Re-creating a goal inside a game is another.

Next-order experiments:

• Push notifications inside games

• Re-creating live goals interactively

• Aligning content format to the platform’s native behavior

The key question: how do you make MLS content feel native wherever it lives?

Stadiums as Identity and Flywheel

MLS’ investment in soccer-specific stadiums is a strategic lever.

Why it matters:

• 20–25k seats = no bad views

• Supporter sections feel immersive

• Lower ticket price points = accessible for families

• Stronger local identity

With new stadiums coming in:

• Miami

• NYCFC

• Chicago

• New England

Chris sees venue identity as foundational to long-term fandom.

“It creates that tangible emotional connection.”

World Cup 2026: The Real Challenge

The World Cup will spike interest in soccer. That part is guaranteed.

The harder question:

How do you convert national team interest into club fandom?

Chris’ focus:

• Highlight MLS players participating in the World Cup

• Produce “club to country to club” storytelling

• Funnel global attention into local clubs

Most people don’t realize:

More national team players from more countries play in MLS than any other league.

That’s the bridge.

“No one’s a fan of MLS. They’re a fan of clubs.”

Why MLS Doesn’t Want to Build Everything In-House

Chris’ philosophy is clear:

MLS’ product is soccer.

Not fantasy. Not gaming engines. Not new tech platforms.

Instead:

• Partner with world-class operators

• License IP to best-in-class platforms

• Focus internally on making soccer elite

Fantasy is a perfect example.

Rather than white-labeling a product internally, MLS is licensing to a world-class emerging fantasy partner whose entire business is fantasy optimization.

“Let’s leverage the best people in the world in their lane.”

How MLS Evaluates New Partners

Two primary filters:

1. Expansion

Does this partner reach new audiences we don’t currently reach?

2. Depth

Does this partner engage existing fans in a way we don’t today? Fan engagement growth is the top metric.

MLS competes not just with:

• NFL

• NBA

• MLB

But also:

• Premier League

• La Liga

• Bundesliga

Everything ladders up to relevance.

“How do we get our IP in front of as many people as possible in a way that makes them genuine fans?”

What MLS Admires in Other Leagues

Chris highlighted a few standout strategies:

NFL

• Roadblock gaming integrations

• Massive global retail footprint

• Broad product portfolio across demographics

NBA

• Elite social highlight distribution strategy

• Cultural relevance first, monetization second

Premier League

• Morning US broadcast slot dominance

• NBC partnership + Fan Fest

• Built ritualized weekend viewing habits

MLS studies all of it.

Risk vs Innovation

With a younger median fan base comes pressure to stay cutting-edge.

But innovation carries risk.

Chris emphasized:

• Responsible betting partnerships

• Integrity safeguards

• Player education

• Protecting the sport first

“We have to prioritize the integrity of the sport.”

The Hot Take: Fans Are Lazy

Chris’ most memorable insight:

“Fans are lazy.”

Not an insult — a design principle.

Too many leagues overcomplicate engagement with:

• Multi-step reward systems

• Excessive friction

• Over-designed activations

The real unlock? Lower the barrier. Make it easier, not more complex.

“How do we make this as easy as possible?”

The Lightning Round Recap

Q: Favorite athlete growing up.
A: Tiger Woods (1996 Masters).

Q: Favorite athlete today.
A: Kevin Durant.

Q: Favorite video game.
A: League of Legends: Wild Rift. Also chess and NYT brain games.

Q: Best live sports moment (in person).
A: Duke winning the national championship in 2010.

Q: Best sports moment on TV.
A: Tiger’s chip-in on 16 at Augusta.

Q: Favorite MLS venue visited so far.
A: Orlando, Austin, and San Jose — each for different reasons.

Q: One rule you’d change.
A: NFL touchback inconsistencies.

Q: Hot take about sports.
A: Lower friction beats complexity every time.