Naked Truth
Three Simple Reasons Why Promotion and Relegation Will Never Happen in the US
One of the most common criticisms in regards to soccer in America is the lack of a promotion and relegation system that is quite common across much of Europe,...
Naked Truth
Racial Abuse is Still Prevalent in Football, But Public Outrage is Lacking When Perpetrated Against Asian Footballers
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan is one of two South Korean players in the Premier League, along with Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur. Last year in August, the Wanderers...
Naked Truth
The Columbus Crew Rebrand Fiasco Exposes the Disconnect Between MLS Owners and the Common Fan
After unveiling a new crest and changing its name from “Columbus Crew SC” to “Columbus SC,” there was an outpouring of negative reaction from the club's vocal supporters. A...
Naked Truth
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Virtue Signaling Cost Coca-Cola $4 Billion While Exposing His Own Hypocrisy
During a Euro 2020 press conference on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo purposefully moved two strategically placed Coca-Cola bottles out of view. He then picked up a water bottle and set...
Naked Truth
Championship-or-Bust Expectations Led to the Downfall of Bob Bradley
In a big city like Los Angeles, with its siren-like call of glitzy Hollywood and seductive promises that seem just within reach, it has always been championship or bust...
Naked Truth
Klein is Finally Out – So What Now for LA Galaxy?
The LA Galaxy finally announced the firing of president Chris Klein on Tuesday. Amid a disastrous 2-9-3 start that had them sitting in last place in the MLS table,...
Naked Truth
Pay-to-Play is Good for Soccer and the Harshest Critics are Hypocrites
I'll begin by saying that I am not arguing that there aren't certain issues, unscrupulous practices, or problematic cracks within the pay-to-play model — there are. However, I am...
Anonymous Mailbag
Anonymous Mailbag No. 2: Twitter Wars and Youth Soccer Ethics
Welcome to the Urban Pitch Anonymous Mailbag, where we answer your unfiltered questions and replies to our stories or any particular issues and topics in soccer and culture today.
These...
Naked Truth
Boom or Bust: Gareth Bale and LAFC’s Desperate Moment of Truth
Gareth Bale's relationship with Real Madrid and its fans may have been doomed from the start. While his €100 million ($132 million) transfer from Tottenham in 2013 made him...
Naked Truth
The LA Galaxy Boycott Has Begun to Unravel and Fold — What Happens Next?
After enduring a decade of on-field failures and tumultuous leadership under Chris Klein's presidency, five LA Galaxy supporters’ groups released a joint statement of their intention to boycott matches...
Naked Truth
How Nike Used LeBron James, Serena Williams and Drake to Snatch Liverpool Away from New Balance
Liverpool F.C. made international headlines when they announced in January 2020 that they were moving on from New Balance to sign a new partnership deal with Nike beginning in...
Naked Truth
Will Kyrie Irving’s COVID-19 Vaccine Stance Affect MLS and Other Major Sports?
Kyrie Irving, NBA star of the Brooklyn Nets, has been indefinitely barred from playing or practicing with the team as a result of his decision to not get the...
Naked Truth
How Freddy Adu, America’s Greatest Soccer Prospect, Was Tragically Set Up to Fail
A naturalized American citizen from Ghana, Freddy Adu's skill on the pitch was recognized early on. Growing up in Maryland, he was offered a lucrative deal from Italian club...
Naked Truth
The Key Takeaways From the Kylian Mbappe Saga
It's Officially the Kylian Mbappe Era
We've known for quite a while now that Mbappe was the heir apparent to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. There was a brief moment...
Naked Truth
Why Promotion and Relegation is Overrated and a Closed System is Far Superior
The sentimental idea behind promotion and relegation seems fair, good-natured, and based upon a system of meritocracy. In practice, this is a complete fallacy and the stark reality is...
Naked Truth
Transforming Sky Blue FC into Gotham FC: An Insider’s Deep Dive Into the Rebrand
What motivates a sports franchise to rebrand and essentially perform a complete identity overhaul? Making radical changes to its name, logo, and image is a major undertaking, but one...
Naked Truth
The NCAA’s Recent NIL Policy is a Treasure Trove for College Athletes But Represents Only Fool’s Gold for Soccer Players
After decades of the NCAA resisting the ever-increasing demands for its athletes to receive financial compensation, a combination of various state laws and NCAA rules changes went into effect...
Naked Truth
I Quit Corporate America to Pursue My Passion (This is What I Discovered)
In 2015, I made a life-altering decision to quit my job and leave corporate America for good. I went from a secure career that came affixed with a corporate...
Naked Truth
FC Barcelona Ditching Luis Suarez is a Disastrous Repeat of the Tom Brady Situation
Luis Suarez’s acrimonious departure from FC Barcelona to Atlético Madrid this past September is eerily reminiscent to what happened with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. While Brady’s move resulted...
Naked Truth
The Coddled Generation of U.S. Soccer Players Have No One to Blame But Themselves
There's a certain level of criticism regarding the state of the beautiful game in the United States that is fair. However, when unsuccessful players from Generation Y (millennials) or...
