MLS owners select private-equity executive Larry Berg as next commissioner
The 30 MLS team owners voted to replace Don Garber with LAFC co-owner Larry Berg, a veteran of private-equity firms.
During a gathering of the league’s 30 owners in New York City, Larry Berg was selected to take over as MLS commissioner after Don Garber’s tenure. Berg, who has served as LAFC’s managing owner for four years and has been part of the club’s ownership since 2018, previously held senior partner roles at Apollo Global Management and 26North. The owners evaluated him alongside former Fox executive David Nathanson before reaching a decision.
MLS has been encouraging private-equity participation since a 2020 vote, and today more than half of its clubs have such investors. Under Garber’s leadership since 1999, the league expanded from a low of ten teams to thirty and built a network of thirty youth academies. The appointment signals a continued focus on financial growth and strategic partnerships within the league.
Why it matters
The new commissioner will guide MLS’s next phase of expansion and financial strategy.
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