From the bottom to the top, we take a deep dive into discussing what US lower league soccer clubs (and leagues themselves) need to improve in order to be more relevant in 2023 and beyond. This also includes a discussion of the complexity of the current system, and how the US Soccer Federation can make […]

If you're a new soccer fan, getting into the sport can feel a bit overwhelming. This is especially true in the US, where the sport works a little differently from the rest of the world. Soccer also sits lower on the totem pole behind other domestic sports when it comes to mainstream sports media coverage […]

The sport of soccer has grown, stabilized, and improved significantly in the United States over the past few decades. But despite gains in many areas, the fact remains that US soccer lags behind other nations in substantial ways. It's not for lack of history with the sport. The United States has had organized, professional, amateur […]

The U.S. Open Cup Third Round draw took place Thursday night following the conclusion of the previous round. Eighteen Major League Soccer clubs join the competition at this stage of the knockout tournament. Along with the top flight teams, 30 other lower level clubs also make up the 48-team field for the third round. While […]

Supporters and members actually owning part of their favorite clubs is not uncommon across the soccer world. In some places, such as the German Bundesliga, it's actually a league rule. But fan ownership in MLS is impossible. A practice that allows a community to directly control its own local club seems a logical idea. So […]

US Open Cup returned with the 1st round and teams across the United States. Some of them feature amateurs and semi-professionals dreaming of a fairytale run in the oldest ongoing national soccer competition. These games as well as a handful in the next couple rounds, are available via Bleacher Report. Here's what happened in the […]

This month, in the United States men's club soccer scene, three different professional third divisions kick off 2023 campaigns. USL League One kicks off this weekend. Then, MLS Next Pro the following weekend. Finally, NISA the weekend after. What exactly is a third division in a system with no promotion and relegation? Well, It’s a […]

Between the USL Championship and USL League One, there will be 620 live matches during the 2023 season, all of which are available on ESPN and its platforms. Note that this does not mean ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. Instead, the vast majority of these games are available on ESPN+, the paid streaming platform from ESPN. […]

The United Soccer League, or USL, renewed its media rights contract with ESPN for an additional year. First reported by World Soccer Talk, the agreement will extend the partnership through the upcoming 2023 season. In the agreement, ESPN will carry all USL Championship and USL League One games on ESPN+. The mammoth sports media company […]

American soccer has always done things a little differently from the rest of the world. Whether it's experimenting with the rules (countdown clock, 35-yard offside line, and shootouts), the lack of promotion and relegation, or using playoffs to decide a champion, we've always been at least a little out of step with the rest of […]

Promotion and relegation in MLS has been a hotly debated topic in US soccer circles for years. Fans and pundits alike engage pretty much daily across social media in a seemingly endless back-and-forth. But what does the head honcho at MLS, Commissioner Don Garber, have to say on the subject? A former NFL executive, Garber […]

Another four years have passed and the FIFA World Cup is once again upon us. Like clockwork, the sport of soccer will see a sharp rise in overall interest in the United States during the tournament, with fans packing bars and public spaces all over the country to take in the matches. Even casual fans […]

The West Coast is getting USL PRO representation next year with the announcement of the new LA Blues franchise, set to begin play in 2011. The club, which had been rumored for about a month to be the newest franchise for U.S. soccer's new third division, will play in Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium and […]

And this meant something. Bruce Arena fielded a somewhat — though not very — weakened team against the USL conference's basement dwellers and most likely expected to end up taking a comfortable lead down to Bayamon for the return leg. He won't be. The Islanders went on to smash the Galaxy 4 goals to 1, […]

I had the sudden realization Sunday that if aliens descended on my town and were asked to find any life of Major League Soccer in South Florida, the only thing they would find is MLS trading cards in the bargain bin of the local dollar store. Seriously. Sadly, Major League Soccer is extinct in South […]