MLS is 30 years old - how did it go from an idea after the 1994 World Cup to become the 30-team league it is today?

Norm O'Reilly, co-author of a new book 'The Rise of Major League Soccer - Building a Global Giant' joins Simon to examine the growth of the league through difficult early years to the recent boom in valuations and the arrival of Lionel Messi.

Where does MLS go from here? Can it really become a top three league in the world?

Canadian Soccer Business, which handles the commercial rights for the Canadian men and women's teams, along with the Canadian Premier League and runs the One Soccer broadcast platform have appointed James Johnson, the CEO of Football Australia, as their new chief executive.

Fresh of the announcement of his appointment, James talked to Simon Evans and The Soccer Business Podcast about his vision for the future of Canada's main soccer properties.

Dave Checketts is a sports business titan. He has served in C-suite roles or been an owner of the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Liberty, Madison Square Garden (MSG), Legends Hospitality and the St. Louis Blues. Checketts founded MLS's Real Salt Lake.

He has extensive experience in private equity sports investment and is a director of Premier League club Burnley. He recently launched a $1.2 billion fund with the Eccles Family called the Cynosure | Checketts Sports Capital Fund.