[MAKING A LIST] Such is the growing recognition of the strides soccer is making that six executives working in soccer were cited on Sports Business Journal's annual Forty Under 40 listing of the sports industry's top 40 executives under the age of 40.

(Click here for the complete list.)

CHRIS MCGOWAN, COO, Los Angeles Galaxy. Moved over from AEG's Los Angeles Kings to oversee the Galaxy. AEG President Tim Leiweke praised McGowan's enthusiasm. Galaxy season ticket sales have increased 1,000 to 7,500.  Profile

ROBB HEINEMAN, President, CEO and co-owner, Sporting Kansas City. Oversaw the construction of the most innovative stadium since MLS went on a building boom. Profile

BILLY HOGAN, Managing Director, Fenway Sports Management. Helped close biggest uniform deal in the EPL's history, a six-year, $230 million deal with Warrior Sports, owned by New Balance, for Fenway Sports Group's Liverpool. Profile

DAVID NATHANSON, Executive vice president and general manager, Fox Soccer. Instrumental in Fox's move to air tape-delayed English Premier League matches before or after some of Fox’s singleheader NFL games. Profile (Also cited from Fox Sports Media Group was marketing exec Chris Hannan.)

MERRITT PAULSON, President and owner, Portland Timbers. The son of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson was an executive at the NBA when he bought minor league teams in soccer (Portland Timbers) and baseball (Portland Beavers). That led to his purchase of an MLS expansion team, the wildly successful Timbers. Profile

DAVID WRIGHT, Senior vice president, global sponsorship, MLS/SUM. Former national champion as a player at Indiana and UMass graduate assistant coach, Wright oversees a staff of 17 that manages all of Soccer United Marketing’s corporate partners including MLS and U.S. Soccer. Profile