The Big Bounce

Name: The Big Bounce
Price: 54.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781637277614

The Surge That Shaped the Future of U.S. Soccer

Alan Rothenberg, Alexi Lalas, Alexi Lalas , Julie Foudy

$54.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Triumph Books
20 May 2026

Sociology: sport & leisure; Service industries; Football (Soccer, Association football)

""Alan Rothenberg was just what soccer needed in the 1990s. Like any true visionary, he had the ability to look around corners and peer into the future and see things that others didn't."" - Alexi Lalas, from his foreword

A whirlwind, insider account of soccer's hard-won growth in the United Statesas told by industry veteran and Major League Soccer founder Alan Rothenberg

Recent years have brought home a startling truth: soccer is no longer an also-ran among top U.S. sports.

How did we get here? How did we go from having multiple professional soccer leagues flounderto having Major League Soccer prove to its doubters that it's here to stay? How did we evolvefrom barely having a Women's National Teamto a golden era of women's soccer with a captivating style of play, great stars, and unforgettable moments?

It took greatbeliefas well as power, tenacity, and and a willingness to approach the sport through the lens of big business.

In the crucial fifteen years when US soccer made its most important moves-from 1984 to 1999-the pivotal figure behind the scenes was Alan Rothenberg:soccer commissioner for the 1984 Olympics, chairman of the men's World Cup in 1994, president of U.S. Soccer from 1990 to 1998, founder of Major League Soccer, and chairman of the 1999 Women's World Cup.

Rothenberg tells his story for the first time in this definitive account of the Big Bounce that propelled American soccer out of its Wild West past and into the international elite ranks, sharing little-known details of what really happened and why, from the radical to the farcical.

As U.S. soccer fans gear up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, The Big Bounce chronicles an era of foundational growth for this rapidly growing sport.

By: Alan Rothenberg
Afterword by: Julie Foudy
Foreword by: Alexi Lalas, Alexi Lalas
Imprint: Triumph Books
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 228mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 526g
ISBN: 9781637277614
ISBN 10: 163727761X
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 20 May 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Alan Rothenberg was Soccer Commissioner for the 1984 Olympics, Chairman and CEO of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, founder of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, founder of Major League Soccer, and Chairman of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Off the pitch, he was Alternative Governor for the L.A. Lakers, President of the L.A. Clippers, founder of 1st Century Bank, cofounder of Premier Partnerships, President of the State Bar of California, Chairman of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, President of the Los Angeles Airport Commission, and currently chairs the Los Angeles Tourism Board.

Reviews for The Big Bounce: The Surge That Shaped the Future of U.S. Soccer

""I've never met an individual more passionate about the New York Mets and more caring towards its players. Jay was always one of the first high fives after big wins and the first words of encouragement after tough losses."" --SEVEN-TIME ALL-STAR DAVID WRIGHT