In the ever-evolving world that is US Soccer expansion, attraction to the game is just as important as on the field product at the moment. Sure, everyone wants to see two teams playing the beautiful game on great pitches and new soccer-specific stadiums. But for the NWSL, national media attention, television coverage and the need to connect to the general public are far more important for the young league.
Bob Bradley is now the former manager of Swansea City after the club announced his firing Tuesday.
Bradley, the first American to manage a Premier League club, lasted just 11 games. In those 11 games, he went 2-2-7 and gave up 29 goals, which means that another American probably isn't coaching in the Premier League for a while unless David Wagner can get Huddersfield town promoted.
If the decision to sack Bob Bradley isn’t made in the next 48 hours, as the Daily Mail has reported, it will certainly come down to Saturday’s match against Bournemouth. Bradley was only appointed on October 3, and his reign has been all of 11 matches but such is the nature of managing in the Premier League.
There was a time when simply building a soccer specific stadium was setting the bar. Then came the era of enclosed-seaters around 20,000 following the same mold, like Sporting KC, Houston and Dallas. In today’s MLS world, a statement is needed in order to make an impact. Welcome to the "Purple Wall," MLS’s great new attraction.
The MLS recently announced the pricing for the next round of teams to enter the league. With plans to add four more teams in order to reach 28, cities across the US are racing for selection. Long considered a candidate for expansion, St. Louis fans will be frustrated to see comments from the new governor-elect that could push their city down the bid list.
There is no rest in professional sports. As soon as one champion is crowned, teams begin preparing to wrest their title away. Can the Seattle Sounders repeat in 2017? Can Toronto FC take the final step? What big players will move in, around or out of the league?
MLS quickly jumped into 2017 with the Expansion and Waiver drafts having already taken place. Here’s a look at the five biggest transactions to take place in this young MLS offseason.
The biennial CONCACAF Gold Cup returns in 2017, and the continental governing body for the region has announced that the tournament, which runs from July 7-26, will be played out in 13 cities across the United States.
The 14th edition of the tournament will be contested by 12 teams, beginning with the group stage in early July. Of the three groups, we now know that Group B will be headlined by the United States and Group C will have Mexico.
Up and down both Canada and the United States, there's a whole host of cities clamoring for a place in Major League Soccer. The love of the sport is growing with every passing day, and it's no surprise that everyone wants a piece of the action.
However, not every location has what it takes to participate in one of the fastest growing leagues in the world. Whether it's stature, popularity or overall appeal, not many places can touch these five when it comes to having the potential necessary for a long-lasting MLS club.
DaMarcus Beasley has been invited to the USMNT’s January camp, a glorified workout for MLS-based players and an opportunity for the national coaching staff to monitor them in an otherwise overlong offseason, and that’s really funny for people who seem to have a particular agenda.
Crystal Dunn, Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, and Becky Sauerbrunn were all nominees for 2016 Female Player of the Year. Tobin Heath beat out all of her USWNT teammates and took home the title.