The World Cup Changed Everything. Now Comes the Fight Over What Happens Next.

The World Cup was a massive success. Now the fight over money, media rights, and access begins. Go to Quince.com/WINGO. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK. The World Cup delivered massive television audiences, brought international fans into cities across the United States and created one of the biggest sports-media opportunities in years. Now the real questions begin. Margaret Fleming of Front Office Sports joins Trey Wingo to examine who actually benefited from the tournament, why the full economic impact may take years to understand and what happens when FIFA negotiates its next American media-rights deal. The current rights were secured for far less than networks pay for properties such as the NFL and NBA. With future bidding potentially starting around $1 billion, companies including Netflix, YouTube and Disney could enter the competition. That could drive the value of the World Cup higher, but it also raises a major concern for viewers: will future tournaments remain widely available, or will more matches move behind subscription paywalls? Trey and Margaret also discuss the uneven returns for host cities, the public money invested in transportation and operations, and why restaurants and hotels did not all experience the same financial windfall. They examine the increase in interest around American soccer and why the tournament’s true impact may not be measurable for years. The conversation also explores how international supporters experienced a different side of the United States, from Kansas City and Texas to distinctly American stops such as Buc-ee’s and Texas Roadhouse. That change in perception may become one of the tournament’s most valuable long-term legacies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.