Boardroom talks with the prolific social media personality and content creator about his unique role as the first-ever MLS “Social Playmaker”
Noah Beck had aspirations of becoming a professional soccer player.
He was introduced to the Beautiful Game when he was about three years old because his father, Tim, was (and still is) varsity boys head coach at Ironwood High School in Glendale, Arizona.
Noah, a midfielder, helped guide youth club SC del Sol to four state final appearances. He then played for two years under his father at Ironwood before focusing on his academy team. Beck played with the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program state team from 2014-17 and was a team captain. After relocating to Utah, he played two seasons with the Real Salt Lake Academy before earning a full scholarship to play at the University of Portland, where he played 19 games as a freshman.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Beck’s world changed.
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He completed the spring semester online before dropping out of school. Like many during quarantine, Beck sought connection and entertainment on social media, and began posting videos on TikTok in 2020, growing his following to 27 million by January 2021.
Even though he didn’t end up as a professional player, Beck, 21, is still around the game he loves. In February, he was named Major League Soccer’s first-ever Social Playmaker, working with the league to promote its clubs and players to his 45+ million combined followers via original programming, including Beck’s Corner, a weekly TikTok rundown with his take on MLS action.
“It’s been a blast, honestly. It’s been a match made in heaven,” Beck told Boardroom. “Unfortunately, yet fortunately, things happened, but somehow I always knew no matter what I did in my life, I always wanted to stay in touch with the game. … It’s such an organic thing to add to my content because people who really know me know that I played soccer, knew that I grew up in the system and knew it was my goal since I was a kid to go pro.
“It’s fitting and I’m having a blast doing it.”
For MLS, which boasts the youngest pro sports fan base in North America with an average age of 39.6 years, working with a content creator and influencer like Beck helps the league grow its awareness among a younger demographic with a growing interest in soccer.
Soccer is the No. 1 sport in participation and No. 2 in fandom for Generation Alpha (born after 2013), according to a Morning Consult survey. The sport is also the third-most-popular behind football and basketball for Gen Z, according to a Two Circles study.
Beck will host a special edition of Beck’s Corner live at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge at 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday at Allianz Field in Minneapolis as part of the league’s All-Star Week programming. The festivities will culminate with the 2022 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET), pitting the league’s top stars, including Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Walker Zimmerman, against an all-star team from Liga MX.
Beck, who was a celebrity guest coach at last year’s All-Star Skills Challenge in Los Angeles, will be attending his third MLS All-Star Game.
“Obviously it’s just exciting to be a part of it,” he said. “This is something I’d go to as a child and be a huge fan of, but now it’s part of my job. You get to show up, have fun and go to these events and make the best out of it. Obviously, I’m stoked.”
Having played in Real Salt Lake’s academy growing up, Beck is slightly biased toward his favorite MLS club, though he is also partial to Los Angeles FC, now that he lives in LA.
With recent big-name additions, including Gareth Bale (LAFC), Giorgio Chiellini (LAFC), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy), and Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC) joining MLS and former stars including Brenden Aaronson, Taty Castellanos, Matt Turner, Daryl Dike and Ricardo Pepi now plying their trade in Europe, Beck is bullish on the league and soccer in the U.S.. Adding to his excitement:the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico and the United States will host.
“MLS and soccer in the US is on the come-up and it has been, and it’s going to make its mark,” he said. “I’m just trying to build as much awareness around the league as I can. It’s easy for me because I love the league and I love the job.”
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