MLS Succession Process Narrows to Three Finalists

Major League Soccer’s Board of Governors has reduced the search for a successor to Commissioner Don Garber to three candidates: Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg, 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe, and former Fox executive David Nathanson. The three are slated to make formal presentations to MLS owners in the coming weeks, with a vote expected after the league’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 29. Garber’s contract runs through the end of 2027, a date that now falls in the middle of the league’s first summer-to-spring season (2027-28).

MLS’ 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson

Garber has led MLS since August 1999, overseeing expansion from 12 to 30 clubs. During his tenure the league’s average team valuation rose to roughly $767 million (Sportico) and $731 million according to Forbes. In February 2026 the league created a Succession Committee, chaired by LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal and Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam, and hired search firms The Miles Group and Korn Ferry to manage the process.

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• Larry Berg – Co-owner of LAFC since its 2018 debut and former managing owner for four years. Prior to soccer he spent 30 years at Apollo Global Management and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. LAFC’s expansion fee was a record $110 million; the club is now valued at $1.4 billion.

MLS’ 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson

• Paraag Marathe – President of 49ers Enterprises, overseeing the NFL franchise’s outside ventures, including Premier League side Leeds United, which the 49ers took full control of in 2025. He has 25 years with the San Francisco 49ers, most recently as chief operating officer and team president.

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• David Nathanson – Former Fox executive who spent eight years at the network, including a five-year stint as executive vice president and general manager of Fox Soccer. He sits on the board of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, is a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders, and was a founding investor in the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and NWSL’s Angel City FC.

MLS’ 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson

• MLS now fields 30 franchises with an average valuation of $767 million.

New York Times

• The league’s current Apple TV + “MLS Season Pass” deal expires end of 2029, three years earlier than originally projected.

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• The collective bargaining agreement with the MLS Players Association ends Jan 31, 2028, overlapping the calendar shift.

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Negotiating a new TV contract is a top priority for any incoming commissioner; the league has lagged behind global competitors such as the Premier League and Bundesliga. Simultaneously, the shift to a summer-to-spring schedule aligns MLS with international transfer windows but places the commissioner’s contract expiration squarely in the middle of a season, creating timing challenges for leadership transition.

New York Times

MLS released a statement saying the Board of Governors “has been engaged in a comprehensive succession planning process” and that “a number of highly qualified individuals have been considered.” The league confirmed that Korn Ferry is leading the recruitment drive. Commissioner Garber told Front Office Sports, “I will be in this office until 2027, and whether or not I’m commissioner, we’ll wait to see.”

New York Times

Sources note a split among owners: while some view Berg as the frontrunner, there is “no clear consensus on this vote.” Concerns have been raised that the mid-season contract expiration could force Garber to depart early or remain past the intended date, potentially disrupting the league’s strategic initiatives.

MLS’ 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson

• Contract Timing: Some reports state Garber’s contract now ends “midway through the 2027-28 campaign,” while others describe it as expiring “in the offseason” based on the original schedule.

Search for MLS Commissioner Don Garber's successor reportedly down to three finalists

• Vote Date: The Athletic cites an “early August” vote, whereas other outlets indicate the decision will follow the July 29 All-Star meeting.

New York Times

• “Major League Soccer's Board of Governors has been engaged in a comprehensive succession planning process.” — MLS statement

ESPN

• “As part of that effort, a number of highly qualified individuals have been considered.” — MLS statement

New York Times

• “I will be in this office until 2027, and whether or not I’m commissioner, we’ll wait to see,” — Don Garber, Front Office Sports

New York Times

• “I’ll leave where it’s almost 30 years [as commissioner],” — Larry Berg, Sportico Sports Business interview

MLS’ 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson

• “One of the key drivers of sports league revenue is media rights, and it’s an area in which MLS has fallen behind its competition.” — analysis in The Athletic article

New York Times