June 20, 2024

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The U.S. is getting another crack at hosting the oldest continental soccer competition in the world. … Record prize money is on the line for competing nations. … Copa América puts another spotlight on the NFL’s turf wars. … Some USMNT members are ready to show off skills they’ve learned abroad. … And Front Office Sports Today looks at the pitch clock’s impact on MLB.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

U.S. Hosts Copa América: A Milestone in Soccer’s Oldest Tournament [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Copa América is the oldest continental soccer competition in the world, at 108 years old. It’s also been dominated heavily by South American teams, with North American teams not participating until 1990, and 47 of 48 prior tournaments were previously held in South America.

Much of that is now changing as the U.S. is hosting the tournament, starting Thursday and running through July 14, and the American national team is aiming for a strong showing against some of the world’s best teams.

The placement [[link removed]] of this year’s tournament in the U.S. is the result of a strategic partnership struck [[link removed]] early last year between CONMEBOL, the South American federation, and Concacaf, its North American counterpart, that was aimed at building the sport in both regions. The deal included not only putting this year’s event in the U.S. but also the participation of CONMEBOL women’s teams in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup held earlier this year, and a new joint club competition.

As a result of the broader geographic focus, the Copa América is something of a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup, which will also be held in the U.S., along with cohosts Canada and Mexico. While that preparation certainly relates to the competition and to stadiums, many of which will also be World Cup venues, that’s also true for Fox Sports, which holds English-language U.S. rights, and TelevisaUnivision, which has the Spanish-language rights domestically.

It’s also part of a big summer for both networks in soccer as they manage separate coverage of UEFA’s Euro 2024, which began earlier this month and will run along a similar schedule as Copa América. Though for Fox, some matches from the Euros have been shifted [[link removed]] to the subscription-based streamer FuboTV.

Tough Test

In 2016, the U.S. team made a surprise run on home soil to the Copa América semifinals. This time, though, the home squad will face arguably a steeper climb. The Americans are currently ranked No. 11 in the world by FIFA, and is up significantly from its No. 30 slot five years ago. But also in the competition are No. 1 overall and defending World Cup champion Argentina, No. 5 Brazil, No. 12 Colombia, and No. 14 Mexico.

The Copa América “feels big,” USMNT captain and midfielder Tyler Adams (above, far right) said earlier this month. “It’s not quite the World Cup, but I think it’s the next best thing.”

ONE BIG FIG Money Game

Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

$72 million

Total amount of prize money up for grabs [[link removed]] at the 2024 Copa América. The record amount is more than double the $19.5 million shelled out in ’21. This year’s winning nation will receive $16 million, on top of the $2 million participation fee each of the 14 countries playing in the tournament will get, no matter their performance. The runner-up will make $7 million, and third place will get $5 million.

SPONSORED BY TELEVISAUNIVISION

The Wait is Over! COPA America Starts Today

The wait is over! CONMEBOL Copa America 2024—the most anticipated tournament in the U.S. this summer—begins today, and TelevisaUnivision [[link removed]] will have wall-to-wall coverage of all the action.

All 32 matches will be available across TelevisaUnivision networks and platforms [[link removed]], showcasing the biggest and best stars in the Americas—Messi and Argentina, Vinícius and Brazil, Giménez and Mexico, and Pulisic and the U.S. The marquee tournament, the oldest national team competition in the world, features the reigning champions of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and ’21 Copa America, Argentina, as they look to win their third consecutive title.

Tune in [[link removed]] for all the action starting today on Univision, TUDN, UNIMÁS and streaming on ViX.

Copa América’s Temporary Grass Sparks World Cup Stadium Debate [[link removed]]

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

This summer’s Copa América is set to provide a preview of a hot-button issue involving NFL stadiums hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Both international soccer tournaments require matches to be played on natural grass surfaces, which exist [[link removed]] only in half of the American football stadiums.

When superstar Lionel Messi and Argentina kick off Copa América on Thursday night in Atlanta, the match against Canada will be played on a temporary grass field that was installed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (above, with artificial turf), the home of the Falcons and United of MLS. Five other NFL stadiums in Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York have made the short-time switch from artificial turf for Copa América, too.

NFL Players Want Grass

Last fall, the NFL Players Association made a public push [[link removed]] for more grass playing surfaces. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers notably tore his Achilles on MetLife Stadium’s artificial turf field, sparking more debate around the topic. Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who played at that venue, told Front Office Sports Today that sometimes artificial surfaces are still necessary, though. “The turf gives you a reliable field all the time,” Manning said [[link removed]].

This spring, Falcons president Greg Beadles pointed to the downtown location of his team’s stadium, which opened in 2017, as the main reason for not having a natural playing surface. “It’s just not tenable to have grass,” he told FOS [[link removed]].

Cost Savings

In 2026, seven NFL stadiums will have to make the temporary switch to natural grass for the World Cup (five of which are doing the same for Copa América). A permanent natural grass field could require a cold-weather team to spend $2 million to $3 million per year to maintain, as opposed to approximately $1.25 million to install and maintain turf, according to ESPN [[link removed]].

LOUD AND CLEAR Familiar With the Competition

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

“Nearly everyone in the squad is playing in a European league now, rather than MLS. And it’s a very, very talented squad.”

—U.S. defender Antonee Robinson (above), on the national team’s prospects heading into Copa América. Robinson plays for Premier League club Fulham, while other notable stars on European clubs include strikers Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) and Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest). “We want to be competing against the best teams in the world and people see that there’s no reason we can’t,” Robinson told The Athletic [[link removed]].

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY MLB’s Pitch Clock Boost Proves More Than a Passing Fad

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

MLB attendance reached levels not seen in 16 years over the weekend, as the league enjoys an impressive second year following the implementation of the pitch clock. Meanwhile, its broadcasting future plays out in court through the bankruptcy hearings for Diamond Sports Group. Front Office Sports newsletter writer Eric Fisher joins the show to break down these topics and more.

🎧 Watch, listen, and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

SPONSORED BY TELEVISAUNIVISION

La Cultura del Fútbol

There’s nothing better than live sports [[link removed]], and that includes soccer (or fútbol to many).

TelevisaUnivision [[link removed]] is the soccer leader in the U.S., regardless of language, accounting for more than 50% of all soccer viewing on television. Its soccer portfolio is unmatched, with rights to Liga MX, the most-watched soccer league in the U.S., Liga MX Femenil, Leagues Cup, UEFA Champions and Europa League, Mexico men’s national football team, Concacaf Nations League, 2025 Gold Cup, UEFA European Qualifiers, Colombian Football League, United Soccer League and the two biggest soccer tournaments this summer—UEFA Euro ’24 and CONMEBOL Copa America ’24.

The cultural celebration and vibrancy of everything soccer [[link removed]] has to offer lives on TelevisaUnivision networks.

Conversation Starters The Chicago Sky–Indiana Fever game Sunday was a ratings hit [[link removed]], drawing 2.25 million viewers on CBS, the highest in WNBA history in 23 years. Their next showdown is June 23. Ralph Lauren debuted Team USA’s uniforms for the Paris Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies. Look here [[link removed]]. Think you can make a dynasty out of a small school? We’re giving away two copies of the highly anticipated EA Sports College Football 25 video game. Enter here [[link removed]] for a chance to win. See rules here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Negotiations Over Native American Imagery Continue to Stall RFK Stadium Bill [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]The stadium bill remains delayed in the Senate after passing the House. Caitlin Clark Continues to be Enormous Box Office for the WNBA [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Sunday's Fever-Sky game was the most-watched WNBA broadcast in 23 years. Roger Goodell Rips ‘Below Standard’ NFL Network Broadcasts in Trial Testimony [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The commissioner testified in federal court that NFL Network was subpar. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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