We're a Selling League Now! MLS 2019

[Anton Gramscescu]

Seba Who?

Alejandro Pozeulo Goal #1
Alejandro Pozuelo Goal #2

Toronto 4 - 0 NYCFC. We're back.

[JVL]

I am kind of looking forward to the new CPL. Not convinced it won't go tits up like the last one,in the early 90s, but it's nice to see all the excitement. Heart will be with Valour FC but practically speaking am likely to mostly watch Forge games (on basic universal local chauvinsim principles, York9 can go fuck themselves who do they think they are anyway?).

I am looking forward to the CPL getting started - ordered my 7-game ticket pack for the Halifax Wanderers today. Will be there for the home opener against Forge (and the Canadian Championship match against Vaughan Azzurri) and have picked other games scattered throughout the season that I should be able to get to.

[Amor de Cosmos]

I'm glad someone's watching some CPL matches. There's no Vancouver team (yet), so it'll be tough to get a read on the experience.

[jefe]

USL 3rd division opened today-a 16 year old for FC Dallas reserves got a hat trick.

Indy Eleven's home opener in the USL 2nd drew 20,251.

San Jose is abysmal.

[Anton Gramscescu]

JVL: when did you move to Halifax?

[jefe]

All Star game is v Atletico Madrid.

The fan team in the lower leagues in Detroit had the excellent idea of repurposing shipping containers as suites a a couple walkup bars.

Tim Howard is a minority owner in the Memphis USL team, along with the AA Memphis Resbirds owners. Who also bought Dagenham and Redbridge.

[JVL]

JVL: when did you move to Halifax?

Moved out at the end of July last year, after we finally got all the paperwork together for work permits etc. and enjoying life out on the east coast...

[jefe]

Fanendo Adi got busted for DUI.

12 former Whitecaps women's players released a statement backing what Ciara McCormick made public on her website last month.

There is a report on Twitter, which seems to be slowly gaining legs, that the Fire are being bought out of their lease with Bridgeview, moving back to Soldier Field, and being rebranded as Chicago City FC.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Moved out at the end of July last year, after we finally got all the paperwork together for work permits etc. and enjoying life out on the east coast...

Well, congrats. And welcome!

[Hot Pepsi]

All Star game is v Atletico Madrid.

The fan team in the lower leagues in Detroit had the excellent idea of repurposing shipping containers as suites a a couple walkup bars.

Tim Howard is a minority owner in the Memphis USL team, along with the AA Memphis Resbirds owners. Who also bought Dagenham and Redbridge.

Memphis Redbirds are AAA

The Washington Nationals did that shipping container-bar thing when their stadium opened. Not sure if those are still there, but it filled a need.

[jefe]

Luciano Acosta is up to having Man U send a scout to watch him, at the LAFC debacle.

The entire USOC from the first round on will be on ESPN +

[jefe]

Sounders signed a 15 year old to a first team contract.

Free admission to Austin Bold v Las Vegas Lights if you bring a farm animal.

Gold Cup draw

Group A: Mexico, Canada, Martinique, Cuba
Group B: Costa Rica, Haiti, Nicaragua, Bermuda
Group C: Honduras, Jamaica, El Salvador, Curacao
Group D: USA, T&T, Panama, Guyana

[jefe]

Jesse Marsch to manage RB Salzburg next year.

If you haven't seen Sean Johnson's screwup, do so immediately.

New Mexico United drew 12,000+ again and encouragingly, 5000+ showed up in Pittsburgh for Riverhounds v Hartford.

NWSL opened as well. Tobin Heath imitated Lee Sharpe against Barcelona and the Spirit actually won a game, scoring twice after scoring a total of 12 goals all last season, and were televised on NBCSN Washington to boot.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Has anyone ever seen a map of lower-division of US soccer teams? I get that they are thick on the ground on the coasts, in the old union states of the north-east and the midwest and texas, but I get the impresion there are huge footballing deserts in the south and west. Is this true? Like, if I were in Alabama or Louisiana or Wyoming, where are my nearest football clubs?

[Amor de Cosmos]

I think playing soccer is a lynching offence in the US south.

[Southport Zeb]

Has anyone ever seen a map of lower-division of US soccer teams? I get that they are thick on the ground on the coasts, in the old union states of the north-east and the midwest and texas, but I get the impresion there are huge footballing deserts in the south and west. Is this true? Like, if I were in Alabama or Louisiana or Wyoming, where are my nearest football clubs?

Alabama - Birmingham Legion, expansion team in USL Championship
Louisiana - none currently. New Orleans Jesters and Shreveport Rafters dropped out of NPSL over the winter.

[ursus arctos]

There are useful maps of the three USL levels here.

Wyoming would likely be Salt Lake or Denver, though that isn't different from any of the other major team sports.

[Anton Gramscescu]

This is great, thanks. A bit disappointed the USL 2 season ends in early July. Would have loved to watch the Mississippi Brilla when I am there a little bit later in the month. May have to settle for a Gulf Coast League game in Mobile.

[Exiled off Main Street]

You could always drop down one level and try the NPSL

[jefe]

In a shocking twist never foreseen by anyone, anyone at all, MLS announced about an hour ago that they'll be expanding to 30 teams, and hope to announce #'s 28 & 29, at a price of $200M each, at the ASG. Welcome Sacramento and St. Louis.

Chicago Red Stars have done a thing. Every match for the rest of the season is on NBCSN Chicago or one of its overflows.

[Hot Pepsi]

I’m starting to fear MLS really is a Ponzi scheme.

[ursus arctos]

The massive windfall profits derived from "expansion fees" have introduced an element of that model into each of the major North American sports.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Toronto 4 - 3 Minnesota. Classic winning ugly. We're totally using that top allocation spot on Omar Gonzalez in the summer because when Moor's not there it's a complete shit show at the back. Also, I was unaware Vito Mannone had moved to MLS.

Fans are getting angry in Vancouver over those women's U-20 revelations. Good.

[Anton Gramscescu]

In a shocking twist never foreseen by anyone, anyone at all, MLS announced about an hour ago that they'll be expanding to 30 teams, and hope to announce #'s 28 & 29, at a price of $200M each, at the ASG. Welcome Sacramento and St. Louis.

Chicago Red Stars have done a thing. Every match for the rest of the season is on NBCSN Chicago or one of its overflows.

So this is the last season when teams will play everyone in their own division twice and everyone in the other division once. What happens after this year: does MLS give up guaranteed home-and-home within the division or does it do away with the idea of playing every team every year?

Personally, I'd be fine with splitting the league in two and having an east championship and a west championship with winners playing a home-and-home series at the end. This will bever happend, of course, but I think it would be fun.

[Anton Gramscescu]

CPL starts in a week. Do we start a separate thread?

While you;re thinking about that, here's a look at Forge FC's new mascot. And for the kit fanciers among you, here's the entire league's kit launch, all at once