Shiny Sports! 26/
The Messi spectacle comes to America
as always, thanks for reading
Leo Messi’s deal for American MLS includes rights to buy a team and a share of the streaming revenue from Apple TV+ mls packages. Smart. More details here.
The cynical analysis — US is a cohost of the world-cup in 2026. MLS, which launched in the mini-boom after 1994 World Cup, can’t possibly over-invest in harnessing the build up and wave after that world cup. No price is too high, even for a fledgling league like the MLS. I would love to hear more inside stories of the multi-party negotiations that got this done.
I’m a Portland Timbers fan, since before the MLS. I’ve been known to associate with well organized tifosi. I am pre-disposed to eyeroll and mock the casual fans, the spectacle, etc. But I am only marveling that Messi is just *that* good. Beckham was good. Zlatan was good. Messi is majestic.
Shiny bits
Did anyone in Bhutan ask for baseball? Sharing partially because the header image is awesome. Click only for that. via the audacity
There is a long U.S. legacy of plutocrat-funded pseudoscience. Congress just embraced it.
Octopus gardens at the bottom of the sea. What did Ringo know and when did he know it? via Christina Larson