usl super league

Ready or Not, Here She Comes — A Second Women’s Professional League In the US

The USL recently made a surprise announcement that their women's Super League would push back their launch date to 2024 and apply to U.S. Soccer for Division I sanctioning....
chris klein la galaxy

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,...

Cristiano Ronaldo Reminds Us That Aging with Grace is Almost Impossible for the World’s Best Athletes

On August 27, 2021 when Manchester United announced they had agreed to terms with Juventus to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, it was heralded as a triumphant return of their long...
us soccer third division

American Professional Soccer is Basically That Cringeworthy, Rich, and Dysfunctional Family

Major League Soccer recently announced the launch of a third division league set to start in 2022. It is being touted as a bridge between MLS Next academies and...

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,...
anonymous mailbag

Anonymous Mailbag No. 4: Quitting Corporate America

Here is our latest 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...

There’s a Palpable Sense of Urgency for Neymar in What is Likely His Last World Cup

It's difficult to decide whether Neymar Junior has met or fallen short of the grandiose expectations that were laid on his young shoulders so many years ago. Making his...
venezia fc

Venezia FC’s Meteoric Rise to Success Comes With Skeletons in the Closet

Venezia FC took the football world by storm this past May when they beat Cittadella in the promotion playoff final to earn a spot back in Serie A. This...

Why ‘The Sopranos’ is the Greatest TV Show of All Time and What MLS Can Learn From It

There have been plenty of masterful TV shows over the years including Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Wire and many others. But with all due respect, the...

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...

Allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Leave Has Been MLS’ Worst Mistake

Prior to his arrival there were months of tabloid speculation. Although the league had moved away from the practice of signing aging stars past their prime, rumors of Zlatan...

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...
mls vaccine mandate

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...
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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...
mls nba

Major League Soccer Should Learn From the NBA’s Documented History of Great Moves and Horrible Mistakes

I have a desire to see Major League Soccer grow and become a popular, entertaining league where the players are millionaires along with its games being displayed in abundance...
youth soccer

The Ugly, Hidden Side of Youth Soccer, Part 1: Bad Coaching, Wanton Poaching, and Jaw-Dropping Embezzlement

The fast-paced world of club soccer isn’t just about shuttling kids to practices, cheering them on at games, and traveling to high profile tournaments on weekends. Spurred on by...
lionel messi barcelona

Lionel Messi’s Historic Run at Barcelona is Over…But Who is to Blame and Where Can He Go?

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta made the shock announcement that negotiations to keep Lionel Messi at the club had ended. Expressing that...
la galaxy boycott

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...

Lorenzo Insigne’s $100M Record Contract is a Clear Signal That MLS’ Salary Cap No Longer Works

It has been widely reported that Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne has agreed to join Toronto FC in July after finishing out the 2021-22 season in Italy. The 30-year-old Italian winger notched a...
youth soccer

The Hidden, Ugly Side of Youth Soccer, Part 2: Nightmare Parents, Feeble Leadership, and Dirty Politics

The fast-paced world of club soccer isn’t just about shuttling kids to practices, cheering them on at games, and traveling to high profile tournaments on weekends. Spurred on by...