Inside Wrexham’s Rise, Salah’s Viral Selfie, Chelsea’s DAMAC Deal, and Evra’s MMA Madness

On this week’s episode, we are joined by Ethan Reilly, breaking down the key topics and stories at the intersection of soccer and business in the last week.

We kick off with Wrexham’s remarkable rise, now three promotions deep under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. With a valuation topping $100 million, we explore whether this is a sustainable model or a one-of-one media machine and what lessons other lower-league clubs can take from it.

From there, we shift to the latest developments in women’s football in the UK, including Wolves Women being denied promotion due to administrative decisions and Sky Sports broadcasting the Women’s Championship Final, a major signal of progress. We also spotlight London City Lionesses, an independent club carving out a bold new identity.

Next up is The Soccer Tournament (TST), a 7v7 competition offering a $1 million prize pool that’s rapidly becoming a go-to format for social-first football content. We explore its potential as a long-term product, what makes it different from other niche formats, and how it fits into the broader US soccer landscape. That sets the stage for a discussion on the NWSL’s newly announced second division and what it means for development, competitiveness, and market expansion in the women’s game.

We then break down the viral Salah x Google Pixel moment, a selfie that turned into a global marketing win, and what it says about the power of authentic athlete brand partnerships. That leads straight into Chelsea’s short-term sponsor deal with DAMAC Properties and whether it represents smart business or desperation in disguise.

Later, we explore NBA legend Jason Kidd’s investment in Everton and the rising trend of athletes moving into ownership roles across football. That conversation tees up a deeper look at Michael Jordan’s $4 billion empire and whether any current athlete is even close to replicating his blueprint.

Finally, we close with Patrice Evra’s MMA debut, a bizarre but headline-grabbing crossover that leaves us asking whether celebrity fights are the future or just a punchline.

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:54 Wrexham’s Rise: Can the Hype Machine Keep Rolling?
16:02 Wolves Women Shut Out While Sky Sports Steps Up
25:05 TST and the $1M Prize Pool: Is Niche Soccer the Future?
36:49 NWSL’s Second Division: Competition, Growth, and New Markets
43:18 Salah x Google Pixel: How One Selfie Took Over the Internet
51:20 Chelsea x DAMAC: Smart Brand Move or Desperate Deal?
56:19 Jason Kidd Buys Into Everton: The Athlete-to-Owner Trend
1:00:11 Michael Jordan’s $4B Legacy: The Blueprint for Athlete Moguls
1:07:50 Patrice Evra’s MMA Debut: What Is Even Happening?!
1:11:33 Outro

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:54 Wrexham’s Rise: Can the Hype Machine Keep Rolling?
• 16:02 Wolves Women Shut Out While Sky Sports Steps Up
• 25:05 TST and the $1M Prize Pool: Is Niche Soccer the Future?
• 36:49 NWSL’s Second Division: Competition, Growth, and New Markets
• 43:18 Salah x Google Pixel: How One Selfie Took Over the Internet
• 51:20 Chelsea x DAMAC: Smart Brand Move or Desperate Deal?
• 56:19 Jason Kidd Buys Into Everton: The Athlete-to-Owner Trend
• 1:00:11 Michael Jordan’s $4B Legacy: The Blueprint for Athlete Moguls
• 1:07:50 Patrice Evra’s MMA Debut: What Is Even Happening?!
• 1:11:33 Outro