The search for a successor to MLS commissioner Don Garber is down to three finalists: Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg, 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe and former Fox executive David Nathanson, according to multiple people familiar with the process.
The three men are set to meet for presentations with MLS owners in the coming weeks said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private.
“Major League Soccer’s Board of Governors has been engaged in a comprehensive succession planning process,” a representative for MLS said in a statement to Sportico. “As part of that effort, a number of highly qualified individuals have been considered. The MLS succession committee is working with the commissioner and the Board on this ongoing process.”
Representatives for Korn Ferry, which was retained to assist the league’s succession committee, didn’t immediately respond for comment. Berg, Nathanson and Marathe didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment in early morning hours.
Garber has been MLS commissioner since 1999. Late last year, MLS created the succession committee, chaired by LAFC co-owner Bennett Rosenthal and Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam, which retained The Miles Group (TMG) to help advise on the process. Owners later hired Korn Ferry to more directly run the actual search.
