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
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...
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...
Naked Truth
Inter Miami Brazenly Cheated MLS Rules…But Was It So Wrong?
MLS first introduced the designated player rule in 2007 in order to give clubs more flexibility to sign lucrative deals with marquee players. It was informally called the David...
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
How The Embarrassing Feud Within the Washington Spirit Organization is Actually a Huge Win For All NWSL Players
There’s been a long and publicly drawn out battle occurring within the Washington Spirit organization. Amidst accusations of abusive behavior and a toxic club culture, this is a situation the National Women's...
Naked Truth
Pay-to-Play Critics Have No Defense For These Undeniable Truths
The pay-to-play model is the commonly accepted punching bag that is usually cited as the primary reason for what is wrong with U.S. Soccer. But is that really 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...
Anonymous Mailbag
Anonymous Mailbag No. 5: The Suarez-Brady Connection and Zlatan vs. LeBron
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...
Naked Truth
CONCACAF Champions League is Still Irrelevant, But That Needs to Hurry Up and Change
In 2022, the Seattle Sounders made history by defeating Pumas UNAM of Liga MX to become the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF Champions League title. Sadly, this...
Naked Truth
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...
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
The Crypto.com Arena Deal Shows How Much the Business of Soccer Still Lags in the US
It was recently announced that LA's iconic Staples Center would be getting a new name in time for Christmas: Crypto.com Arena. The 20-year agreement, thought to be the biggest naming...
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
A 40-Year-Old Feud, a $5 Million Sports Rooster, and How the Unpredictable Diego Maradona Tied Them All Together
It’s serendipitously fitting in so many ways that as Diego Maradona’s infamous "Hand of God" World Cup kit goes to auction, it is accompanied by claims of falsehood and...
Naked Truth
The Undeniable Blueprint USL Should Follow to Force a Merger with the MLS
Major League Soccer kicked off its 30th season last Saturday, with all 30 teams getting back to the action on the pitch. Earlier in the same week, the United...
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
With a Triumphant World Cup Victory at Last, Lionel Messi Makes a Convincing Case for Being the GOAT
The otherworldy achievements by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been so effective in surpassing everyone else that throughout their careers, for better or worse, their names have been...
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
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...
