The TST: UK AFC Bournemouth's Journey with Playermaker Technology

0:00 All right, welcome to the deep dive. Today, we are jumping straight in, no hesitation, into an event that has just completely captivated the sports world, wrapping up its latest edition just recently in Cremary, North Carolina. We're talking about the soccer tournament TST. That's right, and if you haven't heard about TST yet, well, you're in for a treat. It is this fascinating, really high octane blend of serious competition, major stakes and a truly unique kind of festival atmosphere. Yeah, it sounds like it really mixes things up.

0:34 It does. It throws out a lot of the traditional soccer rule book brings together this wild mix of players. I mean, we're talking global legends, current pros, even, you know, athletes you might know from completely different sports. And it all boils down to 1 massive thing. That huge winner take all $1 million prize. Actually, not just one, but $2,000,000 prizes handed out this year. A million for the winners absolutely zipped for second place. It's that kind of intensity. It's just it's baked right into the DNA of the whole event, isn't it?

1:02 So our mission today is to really unpack exactly what TST is all about, how its specific format, its unique rules create this compelling drama. We're seeing Who actually shows up to compete? What's the whole vibe like on the ground? And of course, what did we learn from the 2025 tournament that just finished? We want to pull insight straight from the heart of the action for you. It's a phenomenon that's growing incredibly fast, and understanding the why behind its success really comes down to these core elements we're going to talk about.

1:35 So let's take this deep dive. Let's explore what makes TST, You know, unlike pretty much anything else out there in soccer. Let's do it. So First things first, where does something like this even come from? I mean was it just someone thinking, hey, soccer needs more excitement, let's throw 1,000,000 bucks at it? Or is there more to the origin story? Oh, there's definitely more. It has a very specific and actually very successful lineage. TST was born directly from the model of the basketball tournament TBT.

2:02 You might have heard of it. TBT Yeah, the basketball one with the big prize money and the Elam ending. Exactly that one TBT really pioneered this whole concept. Open application, single elimination, huge winner take all cash prizes. It built up this incredible following. And naturally, seeing that success, fans and even the organizers themselves started thinking. Why not soccer? Precisely why couldn't this work for soccer? So TBT Enterprises, the company behind TBT, decided to expand. TST was their very first venture outside of basketball.

2:34 OK, so it's taking a proven formula and adapting it. That makes a lot of sense. They didn't just jump in blind though. No, not at all. They were smart about it. They brought in experienced soccer professionals to work alongside their existing TBT team. They wanted to build the event properly, you know, from the ground up, understanding the nuances of soccer. And it's got some serious backing too, right? I heard some big names are involved. Yeah, the backing is quite significant. It includes people like NBA superstar Chris Paul.

3:01 Wow. OK. And. Former MLB executive vice president Tim Brosnan. They're among the owners. So you've got major figures from other huge American sports leagues investing in this soccer tournament. That says a lot. It really does that kind of cross sport validation and you know, high level executive involvement shows this isn't just some small time weekend tournament. There's serious ambition driving TST. Serious ambition and like we said, a serious prize, that winner take all aspect. It's not just marketing is it?

3:30 It really defines the whole thing. Oh, absolutely fundamental. Yeah, the concept is beautifully simple and incredibly brutal. You win the entire tournament. You take home the $1,000,000. Check every single other team, even the team that loses in the grand final $0.00 zilch that creates this immediate, intense pressure cooker right from the very first whistle of the tournament. Every single match feels like an elimination game because, well, it basically is. The final isn't just for glory, it's literally for a 7 figure payday or complete heartbreak.

4:02 Man, $1,000,000 riding on one game. You can almost feel the tension just talking about it. OK, so the stakes are sky high. Let's get into the nitty gritty of the game itself. What does TST soccer actually look like on the field? Because it's not the traditional 11 aside game we see in, say, the Premier League or MLS. No, not at all. It's specifically designed for a different kind of action. It's played as A7V7 competition. OK, seven aside. Right, so that means 6 outfield players plus a goalkeeper for each team on the field at anyone time.

4:33 And the pitch itself is smaller too, significantly smaller than a standard pro field. How much smaller are we? Talking typically around 65 yards long by 45 yards wide, so quite a bit more compact and the goals are also slightly smaller than full size goals. Fewer players, smaller space. That immediately suggests a faster game, right? More condensed action. It does, and the rules are very deliberately designed to enhance that speed and encourage really continuous action. Teams have pretty flexible rosters, usually anywhere from 10 to 18 players.

5:05 Which they probably need given the pace. Exactly because one of the key rules enabling that high tempo is unlimited substitutions. Unlimited Subs like roll on roll off. Pretty much players can sub in and out freely throughout the game. They kind of like line changes in hockey or substitutions in basketball. It's designed to keep fresh legs on the field constantly and maintain a really high energy level from start to finish. OK, unlimited Subs definitely keeps the intensity meter cranked up. But what about rules that really changes the tactics?

5:36 The stuff that makes coaches scratch their heads and say, OK, this isn't normal soccer. Yes, this is where TST gets really distinct and frankly fascinating. From a tactical standpoint. Probably the single most impactful rule variation is this. There is no offside rule. Wait, say that again. No offside at. All Zero and Taca can be anywhere on the pitch, right on the goalkeeper's toes, waiting for a long ball. Doesn't matter where the defenders are, no offside flag is ever going up. Whoa, OK. My brain is trying to process that.

6:06 How? I mean, how does that fundamentally change how teams play defensively? Offensively, Everything must be different. It's a total game changer for tactics. Defenses simply cannot rely on playing an offside trap. It's just not a tool in their toolbox in TST. Right, you can't just step up and catch someone out. Exactly. So this forces defenders to mark players much more closely, much more individually. They constantly have to account for attackers who might be positioned way up the pitch, lurking near the goal.

6:33 It naturally encourages very direct play. You see a lot more long balls played over the top. Because you don't have to worry about the runners timing against the last offender precisely. Players can make runs from deep without that constraint and you literally see forwards kind of camping out near the opponent's goal waiting for a chance. It leads to way more one-on-one situations, especially between attackers and the last offender of the goalie. More clear cut attacking opportunities and generally a higher likelihood of goals.

7:00 Defensive strategy has to be completely rethought. That's wild to visualize. Defenders can't risk pushing up too high without leaving acres of space behind them for someone to run into. What are the rules feed into this fast attacking style? Well throw insurance are gone. No Throw insurance. What happens instead? They're replaced by indirect free kicks from the touchline. OK, so the ball has to touch another player before you can shoot. Correct. It changes how teams restart play from the sideline.

7:29 It often leads to more, let's say strategic set lays rather than just a long throw hurled into the box. It encourages quick thinking and passing to get the ball back in play effectively. Interesting. What else? Goalkeepers have restrictions, too. They're prohibited from punting the ball or drop kicking it downfield. Really. So they have to play it out from the back. They have to play it out with their feet or throw it again. This changes how attacks are initiated. It encourages building from the back or quicker distribution with the hands rather than just hoofing it long.

7:59 Makes sense? Anything else major? And one more key one. Sliding tackles are prohibited. No slide tackles at all. Nope. Some might see that purely as a safety measure, which it partly is, but it also definitely contributes to the flow of the game. It reduces stoppages for fouls or injuries from tackles, and maybe encourages players to stay on their feet more. Rely on interceptions and standing tackles. OK, let me recap this. We've got a smaller field, 7V7, unlimited Subs keeping the pace high, no offside rule which just blows traditional tactics apart, indirect kicks instead of throw, insurance keepers can't punt, no slide tackles.

8:36 It genuinely sounds like a format engineered purely for non-stop action, for attacking soccer, for entertainment. That is absolutely the core objective, yes. Every single one of those rules seems deliberately chosen to keep the ball in play as much as possible, encourage forward momentum, create goal scoring chances, and ultimately maximize excitement. At all these elements, this unique way of playing, they all build towards TST's really famous signature way of ending every single match right. Yes, target score time.

9:06 If there's one rule people know about TST, it's probably this one. It feels like a defining feature. It absolutely is. Target Score Time is TST's adaptation, as you hinted at earlier, of the Elam ending mechanism that TBT made famous in basketball, and it's sole purpose, which is kind of brilliant, is to ensure that every single match without exception, ends with a game-winning goal being scored live on the field. So no more settling for a draw after 90 minutes and, crucially, no penalty shootouts deciding the winner.

9:38 Exactly. You eliminate that feeling of a lottery, that sometimes anti climactic way of deciding a huge match via penalties. The game itself consists of two standard 20 minute halves, 40 minutes of regulation play. Once that 40 minutes is up, the clock stops permanently for that game. That's the moment target score time kicks in. Right. And how is the actual target score determined? It's not just like first goal wins after regulation, is it? No, it's a bit more nuanced than that, and it rewards the team that was playing better during regulation.

10:06 The target score is dynamic. It's set based on the score at the precise moment regulation time ends. You look at the score, you take the score of the team that's currently leading, and you simply add one goal to it. That total becomes the magic number. That's the number of goals the winning team needs to reach. Can you walk me through an example just to make it super clear? Let's say team A is beating team B31. When the 40 minute regulation clock expires, the leading scorer is three goals. You add 1 to that, so the target score becomes four.

10:37 The first team either Team A or Team B to reach a total of four goals wins the match instantly. OK, so in that case, team A only needs one more goal, but team B needs three more goals to win. Exactly. Gives the leading team the advantage, which seems fair. Now what if it's tied at the end of regulation? Let's say it's 22. Good question. What happens then? Well, since neither team is technically leading, you take the tied score, which is 2. You still add one goal, so the tardy score becomes three.

11:04 The first team to score the next goal, reaching 3 total goals, wins the match. It becomes a true golden goal scenario in a Tide situation. Got it, that makes sense. Simple concept, but the implications for how you play those final moments, or rather that untimed period, must be huge. So play just continues indefinitely until someone hits that target. Precisely. It's an untimed period. The game clock is off. The focus is purely solely on reaching that specific goal total. But, and here's another twist, TST has a mechanism to guarantee that goal eventually happens, and to ramp up the drama even further if it starts to drag on.

11:42 Oh, what's that? If the target score isn't reached relatively quickly, they start removing players from the field. Players get taken off. You mean the game gets played with fewer players as it goes on? Like 6V6 then 5V. 5 Exactly. It's designed to force the issue to open up space on that already smaller pitch and make scoring more likely as the target score time period progresses. The specific rule might be something like if the target score isn't met after say 10 minutes of target score time play, 1 outfield layer is removed from each team O it goes from 6V6 outfield layers down to 5V5, and then if it still continues, additional layers might be removed at subsequent intervals.

12:18 Maybe another player off each team every 5 minutes after that. So you could potentially see it go down to four. V43V3. That sounds absolutely wild. Can it actually get down to just a handful of players per side? Has that happened? It absolutely can, and it did in a very high profile way in the recent 2025 tournament. We heard reports, pretty reliable ones, that the men's final this year actually got down to two V2 after about 23 minutes of target score time. 2 versus 2, just two outfield players plus a goalie on each side for the championship for $1,000,000.

12:52 Imagine that scenario on that confined pitch with 1,000,000 bucks literally hanging on the next kick of the ball. Think about the pressure, the sheer exhaustion, the wide open space. It creates an incredibly unique, incredibly tense and ultimately unforgettable finish. It's pure drama. Wow, 2V2 for a million? That completely flips strategy on its head, doesn't it? It's no longer about patient buildup or controlling possession or running down the clock. Not at all. In target score time, strategy shifts entirely.

13:19 It becomes laser focused on one thing. Score one more goal before your opponent does. Forget the clock. It doesn't exist. Every pass, every shot, every defensive stop becomes absolutely critical. The pressure is immense. And it guarantees the game ends with a real moment of soccer action, not just whistles or penalties. Exactly, and as we noted, it does give that slight edge to the team that was leading at the end of regulation, since their target is technically one goal closer. But as players get removed and the field opens up, that advantage can shrink rapidly because much more unpredictable.

13:52 It's a format just built for maximum drama and those memorable walk off winning goals. So putting it all together, the 7V7, the lack of offside, the unlimited Subs, and especially this dramatic target score time with player removal, these aren't just quirks, they feel like fundamental design choices deliberately crafted to create a specific kind of soccer. High stakes, super entertaining, incredibly fast-paced. Precisely, you've nailed it. And it's that unique combination, the high stakes and the distinctive format that attracts such an incredibly diverse and frankly fascinating group of teams and players.

14:26 This isn't your standard league or cup competition roster. You mentioned that open application process earlier. Who does that actually bring through the door? What kinds of teams end up competing in CST? It creates this absolutely unique mosaic. It's unlike almost any other tournament in that regard. You get teams with official affiliations to major professional clubs from all over the world. It's like big European name. Yeah, so we've seen teams representing clubs like Barusa, Dortmund, West Ham United, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, AFC Bournemouth, Burnley FC participate in TST.

14:59 Now these teams might field club legends from the past, maybe some promising youth players, sometimes current players from affiliated lower league teams, or just a mix representing the batch. OK, so you've got the big club connection. What else? Then you have alumni teams, teams built around former players from major US universities, like who's your Army representing Indiana University or Hoya Nation bringing together Georgetown alums. It adds that layer of collegiate rivalry into this prostyle setting.

15:27 That's cool. And similarly, you see teams representing groups of former players from specific pro clubs like Naughty SC, which was largely made-up of FC Cincinnati veterans bringing their shared history to the tournament. So established club brands, university pride, groups of ex teammates reuniting. What other kinds of teams fill out the bracket? This is where it gets really eclectic and adds so much to the spectacle, the celebrity and brand back teams. Pat McAfee, the huge sports media personality.

15:57 Yeah. Everyone knows McAfee. He doesn't just sponsor a team, the Conchafa Soccer Club, he actually suited up and played in matches himself. No way he played. He did, and you've got global soccer legends bringing their own squads. Portuguese icon Luis Nani as Nani FC Sergio Aguero. The Manchester City legend brought Aguero team. Aguero playing or managing? Primarily involved with the team, maybe playing some minutes. Then you find teams with origins and totally different spheres, like Hashtag United, which famously started as a YouTube channel team and grew into a proper football club.

16:30 Right, I've heard of them. And the sponsors get creative too. You had Sneaky Fox FCA team featuring a bunch of MLS veterans sponsored by a vodka brand. Or Pasha Luxury FC where the owner, a real estate developer, is also listed as a player in the main sponsor. It's this incredible mix of motivations, backgrounds and purposes all converging on this one tournament. That's a true melting pot. It must lead to some really interesting dynamics. And who are the actual players lacing up the boots for all these varied teams?

17:02 Is it just a fun kick about for retired pros? While the retired legends are definitely a massive draw and a huge part of the appeal, it's so much more varied than just that. You absolutely see genuine Icons, players who have reached the absolute pinnacle of the sport. Like who? Give us some names. We've already mentioned Aguero and Nani on the women's side, huge US legends like Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd, Ali Krieger, Heather O'Reilly have all played in TST. Wow, World Cup winners playing seven aside.

17:31 Exactly. But they're playing alongside and sometimes against current professional players who might be in their offseason or looking for a different challenge. You see rising young stars, maybe college players or players from lower leagues looking to make a name for themselves on a big stage. A chance to impress. Definitely, and you also get athletes who excel in different but related sucker formats. Players with backgrounds in fossil or indoor arena soccer often thrive in TST because those games emphasize quick thinking, technical skill and tight spaces and fast transition skills.

18:01 Perfectly suited to the 7V7. Small pitch, No offside, TST rules. That makes sense. Their skills translate well. Absolutely. And then, yeah, you even get athletes from totally different sports giving it a go. Former NFL stars like Chad Acha, Chinko Johnson and JJ Watt have been involved or played. NBA legend Steve Nash has coached or been involved with teams. Chris Paul, as we said, is an owner. It adds this extra layer of intrigue and crossover appeal. That blend is just fascinating. You could literally have a scenario where a Champions League winner is on the same small pitch as someone who became A star in the Major Arena Soccer League, or maybe even a college kid trying to get noticed all competing for the same million.

18:39 Dollars. It creates these amazing, unpredictable storylines and matchups. You see so many familiar faces from recent pro history, former MLS standouts like Mike McGee, mixed Discarid, Dwayne De Rosario, Sebastian Giovino. Yeah AG Dillagarza, Graham Zusi, CJ Sapong, Justin Maram, A Mobio Kugo, Tristan Bowen, The list goes on. And veterans from European leagues to like Steven Ireland, Tom Huddlestone, Adrian Mariapa, Bakri, Sacco, Siran Clark. So a real mix of generations and leagues. Definitely, and it's not always the teams with the biggest names that win.

19:14 Remember Newtown Pride FC, They won the men's title back in 2023. They're A-Team based in a lower tier US league and PSL. I think they showed the incredible team chemistry, a smart tactical approach tailored to the TST rules, and just sheer grit and determination can absolutely overcome teams with more star power on paper. That's a great underdog story. And Labon Banera, who won the men's title in 2024. They had deep roots in futsal and the MASL, the Major Arena Soccer League. Their technical ability, their comfort playing in tight spaces, it was just perfectly suited to dominate the TST format.

19:48 It really feels like the open application process combined with these unique rules kind of levels the playing field in an interesting way. It allows different types of soccer intelligence and skill sets to really shine. Success isn't just about stacking your team with famous names, it's about building a cohesive unit that understands how to win in this specific TST environment. That's a really crucial point, and this incredible diversity, this mosaic of teams and players we've been talking about, it's a huge part of what makes the overall atmosphere surrounding the event so special, so captivating.

20:22 It's definitely more than just showing up to watch a few soccer games. Yeah, we've heard it described often as a soccer festival and not just a tournament. What does that actually mean on the ground? It means TST, particularly at its home base at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, is intentionally built to be this multifaceted experience. It's not just about what happens between the lines. On the turf surrounding the multiple kitches, There's this vibrant festival zone. What kind of stuff is there they've got?

20:48 Live music stages with bands playing throughout the day, various other forms of entertainment, a really wide array of international food trucks and drink vendors. And they have premium viewing areas too, like an exclusive Sevens Club or Cabana Row, where you can get hospitality right next to the fields. So a real party atmosphere buzzing around the games. Precisely, and combined with incredible accessibility, that's one of the things that really strikes people to go how incredibly close the fans can get to the action and even to the players themselves.

21:19 You can be standing right on the sideline, just meters away from these global icons, or watching these incredibly intense matches unfold right in front of you. Wow, that's different from a big stadium experience. Totally different. It breaks down that barrier that often exists between fans and athletes in traditional settings, and it creates this amazing energy. We've heard from people who wouldn't even call themselves hardcore soccer fans. They just went to check it out and they found themselves completely drawn in by the contagious excitement of the crowd, the fast pace of the games and the unique spectacle of it all.

21:52 It really is an environment where high stakes soccer meets a nonstop celebration. That accessibility, being right there in the mix must make a huge difference to the energy levels. And Speaking of being close to the action, we actually got a specific glimpse into one team's journey through the tournament this year following AFC Bournemouth, didn't we? We did, yeah. And that offered a really fantastic window into what the player experience is like at TSTAFC Bournemouth. The English club brought a squad that was primarily made-up of players who were part of that memorable team from their 21/5/2016 era.

22:27 The team that got promoted to the Premier League and then established themselves there. Oh cool, so like. Reunion team kind of. You featured fan favorites like Charlie Daniels, Andrew Sermon, Alec mentioned. An outline might be Sermon or another player, players from that specific successful period for the club. It was genuinely cool for their fans and for neutral observers too, just to see these guys back together, competing again in a different format. What did we learn from following them? Well, we got to see a bit behind the scenes, observing their training sessions, seeing how a professional setup approach, preparing for these unique TSD rules and then following them through their early group stage matches.

23:03 And interestingly, they actually had a bit of a rocky start. Oh. Really, even with experienced pros. Yeah, reports were they lost the first two games that were witnessed, Yeah, which just goes to show you can't just show up and expect to dominate. The format demands quick adaptation and the pressure is on immediately in the group stage. Every game matters when you need to qualify. Exactly. But they showed their resilience. They reportedly turned things around with a massive tend to win in their final group game to secure qualification for the knockout rounds.

23:34 It really highlighted that even established teams face challenges. They have to adapt on the fly and they have the potential for big comebacks within the tournament structure. That tend to score line also hints at the high scoring potential with these rules. And Speaking of getting insights from being right there on the ground, there was also some really interesting cutting edge technology being utilized and tested at TST this year. Yes, this is another fascinating layer to the event, the intersection of sport and innovation.

24:02 A specific product called Player Maker was being tested and used by several teams, including that AFC Bournet squad we just talked about. Player maker, what is that? It's essentially a small, very lightweight sensor module that straps directly onto a player's soccer cleat onto their boot. One sensor per boot. Straps onto the boot itself? That sounds like it could be really distracting or maybe even uncomfortable for the players while they're playing. You'd think so, right? That was definitely an initial question or potential concern, but the feedback we heard from the Bournemouth players who are using it was reportedly very positive.

24:39 They basically said they couldn't feel it on their boots at all during play, didn't notice it was there, and had no complaints about it interfering with their touch or movement. OK, so it's unobtrusive. What makes it special then? What does it actually do? What makes Player Maker really unique, especially compared to a lot of other sports tracking technology out there, is the kind of data it captures. Is it just tracking, you know how far they run, speed, things like that? Like the GPS vest you often see players wearing under their jerseys.

25:08 So a lot of that existing tech, the vests primarily focuses on physical metrics, distance covered, top speed, acceleration, maybe heart rate. Player maker does capture some of those physical metrics like miles run. But it's real innovation. It's key differentiator is its ability to capture detailed technical skill data. Technical day from the boot, like how they're actually interacting with the ball. Precisely because the sensor is right there on the boot making contact with the ball, it can measure things that vest sworn on the torso simply can't.

25:42 Things like the speed of the ball when it's released from the foot, so pass speed or shot speed. It can measure a player's overall playing tempo, how quickly they move the ball. It can track the efficiency and usage of their non dominant leg, how often they use it, maybe how effectively compared to their dominant foot. It measures the speed of the ball upon impact when kicking, which gives you an objective measure of kicking power. Kicking power. You can actually get a number for that. Yeah, and it counts possessions, touches, details about those touches.

26:09 Someone described it as being like taking those detailed skill ratings you see in video games like FIFA, shot power 85, weak foot ability, three stars and actually bringing them to life with objective, measurable data from the real world. That is seriously next level stuff. Getting objective metrics on something like kicking power or seeing hard data on how much a player trusts and uses their weaker foot. That's information coaches usually only get subjectively just by watching. Exactly. It provides coaches and players with entirely new data points, objective insights that they just haven't had access to before in this way.

26:42 Think about it. How do you truly objectively measure kicking power or compare weak foot proficiency between players? Right now it's largely the eye test. Player Maker provides concrete numbers. That could be revolutionary for scouting and training. Potentially, yes. There was even this great little anecdote shared about someone from the media to trying the tech themselves, strapping the sensors on kicking a ball and then immediately seeing their own kick power data compared to the professional players using it at TST.

27:09 I bet the difference was pretty stark. Apparently it was measured in quantifiable speed. A huge difference. It really highlights the gap but also the potential of the tech and it makes complete sense why reports suggest that major global clubs, including the likes of Manchester City, are already utilizing this player maker technology in their training and analysis. So TST isn't just a showcase for this unique brand of soccer, it's also acting as a kind of proving ground, a real world testing environment for cutting edge sports technology that could genuinely influence the future of how the game is played, coached and analyzed.

27:46 It absolutely seems that way, and you can really see the potential impact, especially thinking about youth development. Imagine giving young aspiring players objective data on their technical skills. Here's how hard you can kick compared to players your age. Here's data showing you only use your left foot 10% of the time. Here's your Auburn passing tempo. That would be incredible feedback for them. It allows them to compare themselves to benchmarks, identify very specific technical areas they need to work on, and then track their improvement over time in a tangible, data-driven way.

28:16 It adds this whole layer of objective insight to coaching and player development that perfectly complements the traditional methods. That whole ecosystem is just fascinating, the blend of pure entertainment focus, the unique rules creating chaos and drama, the incredibly diverse participants, legends, pros, joes, celebs and now even pushing the boundaries with technology like Player Maker. It paints a really vivid multi layered picture of what TST is building. It really does. So let's bring all these threads together now and look back specifically at the recently concluded 2025 edition.

28:51 How did it all play out this year? OK, so the 2025 tournament, it was held, as we mentioned, back at WakeMed Soccer Park in Kearney, North Carolina. The dates were June 4th through the 9th and it really felt like another step up for the event. In what way? Well, one really significant development this year was the expansion of the women's tournament field. It actually doubled in size compared to the previous year, going from 8:00 participating teams up to 16. Wow, doubled. That's major growth. It is and it signals I think a real commitment and belief from the organizers in the potential for a high profile, high stakes women's event run under this exciting TST format.

29:30 And of course, the main event, The ultimate prize, remained those two massive $1 million winner take all checks, one for the men's champions and one for the women's champions. $2,000,000 in prize money handed out. Again, the stakes were just incredibly real for those final matches. Let's talk about how those high stakes finals actually played out. What went down in the men's final? The men's final this year saw a team called Bumpy Pitch FC taking on Pumas de Alabama and it was Bumpy Pitch FC who ultimately claimed the title and the $1,000,000 prize.

30:01 They won the final 2/1. OK, a close one. Was it as dramatic as the format promises? Oh, absolutely. Reports describe it as a truly crazy comeback victory for bumpy Pitch. And of course, because it's TST, the winning goal unfolded during that intense, nerve wracking target score time period. A comeback win in Target Score time for the championship. That must have been unbelievable theater. How did the winning goal actually happened? What was the defining moment? Well, this is where the story gets a bit brutal, highlighting the fine margins in TST.

30:31 While it was obviously a moment of pure elation for bumpy pitch, the winning goal, and thus the loss of $1,000,000 for the other side was unfortunately precipitated by a significant error. Oh no. What kind of error? Reports point to a costly goalkeeping miscommunication for Pumas de Alabama happening right in that sudden death high pressure cauldron of target score time. That single mistake may be a moment's hesitation or confusion amplified by the winner. Take all stakes dearly cost them the championship and that huge payday.

31:02 Ouch, $1,000,000 miscommunication. That's absolutely gut wrenching. It's the brutal flip side of the winner take all coin isn't. It, it really is. It's a stark, painful reminder of just how high the stakes are in every single moment of target score time, and how quickly fortunes can turn when one single goal means absolutely everything. Wow. OK, so a dramatic comeback capped by a costly error in the men's final. What about the women's final? How did that play out? The women's final had a bit of a different dynamic in terms of the scoreline, but it was equally significant in its own way.

31:33 the US women's team secured the title, defeating the Bumpy Pitch FC women's team. The final score was three nil. US women's team, now that the squad we talked about earlier, featuring many of those legendary names mixed with younger talent. Exactly that team, and their victory was particularly notable because it marked their second consecutive year winning the TST Women's title. They established themselves as back-to-back champions, really stamping their authority on the event. Back-to-back wins is impressive, and their roster was that fascinating blend, right?

32:04 Yes, it was a fantastic mix of generations, which is part of TST's unique appeal. You had absolute legends of the game like Heather O'Reilly, Ali Krieger, Ali Long, Carly Lloyd sharing the field and contributing alongside a group of very talented current college stars. College players playing with World Cup winners. Yeah, including, interestingly, 6 players from the powerhouse University of North Carolina program. In fact, there was this really cool moment highlighted in the final where Evelyn Shores, a rising junior at UNC, scored a goal, and the assist came from Heather O'Reilly, kind of perfectly symbolizing that blend of legendary experience and emerging youth talent.

32:43 That's awesome. The team also featured other experienced players like former NWSL pro Mana Shim, adding depth and quality across the board. That mix sounds potent. Were there any specific players who really stood out individually in the women's tournament and got recognized? Absolutely showing the impact of that younger generation. Bela Davi, who is actually an incoming freshman for UNC, was named the tournament MVP. That's a huge accolade for such a young player on a team full of stars. Wow, MVP as an incoming freshman.

33:13 Exactly. And in goal for the US women, Lindsay Harris, who's an NWSL alum herself, earned the Golden Globe Award as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. So it really showed that while the huge legendary names definitely draw eyeballs and contribute massively, the current and rising talent were absolutely key difference makers on the pitch, driving the team to victory. So the 2025 edition really delivered, didn't it? We had dramatic finishes, significant growth and back-to-back champs in the women's game, compelling storylines with comebacks and those intense down to the wire moments decided in target score time.

33:48 For folks who couldn't physically be there in Curry, how accessible was the tournament to watch? TST definitely made a strong effort this year to ensure it was widely accessible to viewers. Games were streamed live across various digital platforms. You can catch them on YouTube on ESPN plus Art. OK, so good streaming options. Yeah. And beyond streaming many of the key matches, especially towards the business end of the tournament, we're also televised nationally on traditional sports channels like ESPNU and ESPN Deport days.

34:19 So they were bringing the tournament right into people's living rooms. That helps build the profile. Definitely, and they backed it up by bringing in a pretty notable lineup of broadcast talent, experienced commentators and analysts to call the games, provide insights and really add to that professional presentation and broad reach of the event. It really sounds like TST is consciously scaling up its production values and its broadcast footprint as it continues to grow in prominence and popularity.

34:45 They absolutely seem to be. It feels like all part of the plan to build this into a major can't miss event on the annual sports calendar. We have covered a ton of ground today, haven't we? It's quite a phenomenon. We started with TST's Origins borrowing that successful winner take all model from TBT basketball. We talked about the sheer intensity brought by that $1 million prize. Nothing for 2nd place. We dove into the unique rules, 77 smaller pitch and especially that game changing lack of an offside rule.

35:14 Plus unlimited Subs, no punting, no sliding. All designed for non-stop attacking soccer. And then the signature finish target score time, the Elam ending for soccer, guaranteeing every match ends with a goal, adding that incredible drama with play removal potentially down to two V2 like we saw this year. Right, and the people involved, that incredible diversity of teams and players, Global icons playing alongside college stars, MLS vets next to futsal Wizards, celebrity back squads competing against grassroots teams and club legends.

35:44 Don't forget the festival feel getting fans right up close to the action and even the cutting edge tech like Player Maker tracking technical skills right off the boot. Exactly. All culminating. In what we saw in the 2025 tournament, Bumpy pitches, dramatic comeback win in the men's final after that costly error, and the US women cementing their dominance with a back-to-back championship showcasing that potent blend of legends and youth, it really is a compelling formula, isn't it? It consistently delivers high entertainment value, creates these organic, compelling narratives, and manages to carve out this truly distinct space for itself in what's already a very crowded global sports landscape.

36:24 The rapid expansion doubling the women's field this year, the specific dramatic moments the format generates, they're all powerful indicators of TST's growing success and undeniable appeal. It really makes you stop and think though. About the bigger picture, doesn't it? When you see this unique blend TST creates, bringing together soccer legends from the past with the stars of tomorrow, incorporating genuinely innovative technology like Player Maker that captures technical data we've never really measured objectively before, and consciously designing rules specifically to prioritize entertainment value and guarantee the sudden, dramatic, decisive conclusions, it definitely raises some fascinating.

36:59 Questions. Looking forward, what is this very deliberate decision to engineer a sporting event for maximum drama, for objective measurement, and for guaranteed exciting finishes? What does that tell us about the potential future direction, not just for TST, but maybe for soccer more broadly, or even how other sports might evolve? Yeah. How does placing such a? High premium on pure entertainment value and ensuring these guaranteed high stakes walk off finishes. How does that fundamentally alter the game itself and maybe even our relationship with it?

37:30 Our perception of what makes for compelling sport? It's certainly a thought provoking direction. Isn't it seeing how prioritizing excitement and decisive endings changes the dynamics? Something for you, the listener, to perhaps Mull over as this unique tournament continues to grow and innovate? Definitely food for thought and that. Seems like a perfect place to wrap up this deep dive into the soccer tournament.