MLS’ Growing Popularity in the United States

Major League Soccer
Image: mlssoccer.com

As CEO of Solar Avenir and Battery Metals, Robert Miller leverages over 30 years of experience in leadership roles with numerous enterprises, including Abakan, for which he raised $30 million in financing from 2010 to 2016. Outside of his professional responsibilities with Abakan and other companies, Robert Miller remains an avid soccer fan.

Major League Soccer (MLS) was launched in 1996 with only 10 teams. Since then, the league has grown significantly. By the start of the 2017 season, there were 22 teams, including a pair of first-year franchises in Atlanta and Minnesota. The league has plans for further expansion, with a goal of growing to 28 teams–a goal that seems increasingly realistic as prospective owners express willingness to pay the $150 million expansion fee.

Attendance is also up substantially since the league’s inaugural year. Midway through the 2017 season, its 22 teams had an average attendance of 21,572, while the first-year Atlanta United FC club led the league with 46,318 fans per night through nine matches. Additionally, average club worth and TV ratings have risen dramatically in recent years, and the league has attracted high-profile sponsors such as AT&T, Microsoft, and the Home Depot.

NBA Investigating Tampering Allegation against the Lakers

Lakers
Image: thescore.com

Robert Miller possesses more than 30 years of business leadership experience across a variety of sectors, serving as CEO of Miami-based companies Auron 2000, Prosper, Nanovation Technologies, and Abakan. Upon leaving Abakan in 2016, Mr. Miller took on the role of CEO at Battery Metals, Inc. In his free time, Robert Miller follows the National Basketball Association (NBA).

One of the biggest trades to be completed in the NBA this past off-season involved Paul George being sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo. The deal was shocking not only because George had spent his entire seven-year career in Indiana, but also because rumors suggested he might be heading to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers.

Team executives are not allowed to speak about the possibility of acquiring players under contract with other teams, and Lakers president Magic Johnson may have crossed the line in April of 2017 during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel asked Johnson if he could initiate contract discussions with George, who is set to become a free agent in 2018. Johnson responded he was not allowed to do so and winked at the audience, adding that he will talk to George at some point.

It appeared no more than a playful joke, but the Pacers did not see it that way. The team addressed its concerns to league executives, and in August of 2017, the NBA officially launched an investigation to determine if the Lakers are guilty of tampering with regard to George.

Lionell Messi Extends his Tenure at FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi
Image: fcbarcelona.com

An experienced international businessman, Robert Miller, previously with Abakan, Inc., is the CEO of Battery Metals, Inc., and Solar Avenir, Inc., in Florida. In his leisure time, Robert Miller follows professional soccer, and his favorite athlete is Lionel Messi.

Viewed by many as the best male soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi plays for the Argentinian team in international competition and for FC Barcelona in the professional leagues of Europe. He has won the Ballon d’Or honors on five occasions, and has helped FC Barcelona gain victory in eight league title competitions. In 2017, he signed a new contract that will likely allow him to retire with the club.

Messi, who recently turned 30, will continue to play with FC Barcelona at least through 2021. While the specifics have yet to be released, projections place his new salary at somewhere around 26 million Euros per season, or roughly $30 million US dollars. Included in the contract is a 264-million-Euro release clause that should prevent other clubs from trying to recruit him.

LeBron James’ Record in the NBA Finals

LeBron James
Image: nba.com

A Miami-based investor with interests in minerals and solar energy, Robert Miller served as CEO of Abakan from 2010 to 2016. In his role with Abakan, Robert Miller raised over $30 million in financing toward the company’s growth. An avid National Basketball Association (NBA) fan, he counts LeBron James as his favorite player.

A three-time champion and four-time MVP, James has appeared in the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons. Only Bill Russell (10), Sam Jones (9), and Tom Heinsohn (9) have had longer runs of consecutive finals appearances. James first reached the NBA Finals in 2007 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After leading the team past the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, his team lost four straight games against the veteran-heavy San Antonio Spurs. In James’ first year with the Miami Heat in 2010-2011, he reached the finals for a second time, but the Heat were defeated in six games by the Dallas Mavericks.

James won back-to-back championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, but again lost to the Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals. He returned to Cleveland the following year in hopes of bringing the city a championship, but the Cavaliers were beat in six games by the Golden State Warriors. However, the following year, James and the Cavaliers led a historic comeback, down 3-1, to defeat the Warriors in seven games. Cleveland lost to Golden State in the 2017 NBA Finals in the third consecutive meeting between the two powerhouse teams.