Get your passports ready: American Leagues in foreign countries

Welcome back to the Bill Bradley Collective, where this week we are sports-centric, with a main topic focused on the potential future for international expansion of Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NFL. Will a league with a heavy Latin, Spanish-speaking makeup like MLB consider expansion into Mexico, the Dominican Republic or perhaps even Cuba? Would the NBA, with their extensive investment in China ever consider planting a franchise or more in the Far East in the wake of Brittney Griner’s detention in neighboring Russia? Most importantly, will Roger Goodell and his 32 constituents be tuning in this week to hear Ed’s earnest case for a a global 40-team National Football League? Those questions and more, but first, we rant: as Ed shouts out the power of the labor movement and even commish Rob Manfred for his role in finally getting MLB to voluntarily recognize a minor league baseball union; Zak lowers the curtain on this year’s US Open with a dispatch on men’s semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe and his amazing story that dominated the tournament’s second-week headlines; and finally Andrew examines the unfortunate LIV presence at this week’s flagship European Tour event with some pointed condemnation for a once-celebrated champion’s disgraced withdrawal.