On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams chat with real estate investor Al Tylis, a minority owner in MLS club D.C. United and one of the new American investors in Mexican soccer team Club Necaxa.

Tylis discusses the growth trajectory of Liga MX, the most-watched soccer league in the U.S., and how the investment dovetails with his thoughts on the future of MLS. He discusses the decentralized nature of Liga MX commercial rights, where teams are responsible for their own media deals and their own sponsorships, and the potential of an MLS-Liga MX merger at some point in the future.

A diverse group of celebrities have joined Tylis in investing in Necaxa, including actress Eva Longoria, soccer star Mesut Ozil, former NBA player Shawn Marion, model Kate Upton and her husband, MLB pitcher Justin Verlander. They have a social reach that dwarfs that of Club Necaxa, along with followers all over the world– two valuable assets as the team looks to grow its reach in new corners of the globe.

Lastly, Tylis discusses the team’s ongoing sale of a 1% ownership stake as an NFT. That process, which has advanced to the final bids, is promised to exceed the $1.3 million reserve price, and could be a model for U.S. teams to make similar offerings on the blockchain.

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