Key Takeaways:
-Star players can open doors to new markets, but converting global attention into lasting engagement requires localized, data-driven storytelling.
-Turning international signings into growth engines means packaging every player-driven moment into short-form content that resonates with regional audiences.
-AI-powered content creation tech enables rights holders to scale multilingual, personalized assets across markets, turning global signings into long-term brand expansion opportunities.
In his first nine matches with Los Angeles FC, Son Heung-min recorded eight goals and three assists. He averaged a goal contribution every 66 minutes, the second-best mark in the MLS after Lionel Messi. Teammates rave about his unselfishness and willingness to do all the intangibles. In short, the acquisition of the former Tottenham captain and Korean national — for an MLS record transfer fee of $26.5 million — has been a boon for LAFC on the pitch.
His potential contribution off the pitch is even higher. The commercial benefits Son brings are undeniable: he is widely considered to be the most famous Asian footballer on the planet, has the highest brand value in South Korea, consistently attracts Korean fans to his teams (there are an estimated 12 million Tottenham fans in South Korea; nearly 25% of the country's population), and just landed in a city that's home to around 250,000 Korean-Americans.
If all this reminds you of Shohei Ohtani's impact on the Los Angeles Dodgers' popularity on both sides of the Pacific, that's no coincidence. “In conversations with LAFC’s ownership, they look at Ohtani’s signing as the model of what they can do with Son,” said Kathryn Schloessman, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. “They see this as a huge opportunity to really expand the brand.”
The Son Effect in Action
There are already signs that this is happening. According to LAFC, Son's jersey was the highest-selling of any athlete in the world in the first two weeks after his signing announcement. Ticket prices for his home debut reportedly rocketed from $300 to $1,500. Viewership of LAFC matches on MLS Season Pass was up 61% across Son's first four games. And the team has signed a new Korean-language radio deal with LA’s KYPA-AM.
But it doesn't end there. “The commercial opportunities are staring LAFC in the face,” said Sasi Kumar, founder of sports marketing agency Red Card Global. “The obvious thing for LAFC is to tour Asia, and they should actively look in different markets for brand and content partnerships. LAFC’s commercial team will be working overtime to sell digital assets, image rights, and work with global brands like Samsung and Kia.”
The Son effect is also expected to provide a financial windfall for the league as a whole. The MLS has already announced new multi-year broadcast deals in South Korea with streaming platform Coupang Play and pan-regional sports streaming service SPOTV. While MLS games are available in South Korea through Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass streaming service, the recent agreements will give fans in Son's native country easier access to his matches.
The New Geography of Fandom
MLS isn't the only organization leveraging athletes' popularity to further establish itself in remote markets. Formula 1, which has seen increased viewership in New Zealand since homegrown driver Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) secured a permanent seat in 2024, just signed a three-year rights extension with Sky NZ. Starting from 2026, Sky NZ will air every practice, qualifying session, and race live on its Sky Sport platform and Sky Sport Now streaming service.
Maybe the most intriguing case of how an organization can build on a new signing to expand its brand internationally is Yang Hansen. In June, the 7-foot-1 center became the first Chinese player selected in the first round of the NBA draft in nearly 20 years, when the Portland Trail Blazers took him with the 16th pick. A few weeks later, 5.2 million people in China watched the Blazers play against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Las Vegas Summer League — nearly five times the US audience for No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg’s debut.
The Blazers have only started to scratch the surface of the interest Yang generates. In the first month after the draft, the team's retail sales have increased by 1,091% and its TikTok account has gained more than 30 million views. If Yang turns out to be even remotely as good as Yao Ming, who starred for the Houston Rockets in the 2000s and once drew 200 million Chinese viewers to a regular-season game, Portland's marketing team is in for a wild ride.
Scaling Global Stories with AI
Expanding into new territories by spotlighting local athletes can dramatically increase rights holders' global reach. Yet, simply securing broadcast slots won’t unlock the full potential of these athletes. The real opportunity lies in turning every moment into a connection point. By wrapping goals, assists, and overtakes into culturally relevant, short-form content that resonates in their homeland, organizations can transform international signings into powerful engines of engagement.
That’s where AI-driven content creation solutions come in. They empower organizations to instantly generate and distribute personalized, multi-format clips across all fan touchpoints, complete with automated voiceovers in local languages to reach regional audiences authentically. It’s how organizations like the Trail Blazers, Formula 1, and LAFC can ensure international signings' impact goes beyond the standings, turning star power into sustainable global growth.
Actionable Insights
-Turn new signings into visual storytelling: develop ongoing content series around players’ journeys, cultures, and fan interactions to engage audiences beyond matchday
-Localize for impact: adapt highlight clips, interviews, and social content to regional languages to deepen connection in new markets
-Automate to scale: use AI-powered content creation tools to quickly generate and distribute multi-format, multilingual assets across all global fan touchpoints
