Gooooooal! How MLS Scores with Culture, Security and Technology

To many people sports is a religion. But among the faithful, one sport stands out with more than 3.5 billion followers globally (and growing): soccer, a.k.a. football. So, what’s the appeal? And what’s behind its success?

Thanks to Major League Soccer, passion for the sport continues to grow in the US. The League introduced world-class soccer to the US and Canada in 1996 with 10 teams—which has grown to 29 (and expanding to 30 in 2025)! In addition to the teams, the talent and the game itself—many people, processes and technologies work behind the scenes to contribute to soccer’s success.

On this episode of Connect, we welcome Jeff Stonebreaker, Senior Vice President of Safety and Security at MLS to share his experience working with soccer teams worldwide and discuss how soccer is transcending boundaries on several fronts. We’ll also examine how technology is being used to provide exceptional fan experiences and comprehensive security—ultimately helping to support the soccer culture and unite fans of the sport.

Join us as we explore the soccer phenomenon, the very real “Messi Effect,” and the people, processes and technologies that help to meet the goals of MLS!