Naked Truth
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...
Naked Truth
The Murky Partnership Between US Soccer and MLS is Finally Coming to an End
The United States Soccer Federation announced that it would be parting ways with MLS-owned Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and not renewing their commercial rights agreement. The nearly 20-year partnership...
Naked Truth
Are the USL and MLS Headed Towards an Ugly Divorce?
Major League Soccer recently announced the official launch of its third division league, MLS Next Pro. Set to begin play with 21 teams in March of 2022, 20 of...
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
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
LAFC’s Carlos Vela is a Prime Example of Why the Designated Player Rule is Broken
The MLS Designated Player Rule allows clubs the ability to sign expensive players without exceeding the team salary budget. First introduced in 2007, the same year as the original...
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
USL Players Are Set to Receive Higher Pay, But How Does it Compare Against the Underground Scene of Latino Leagues?
The USL and its players association reached an agreement in principle on a collective bargaining agreement for the second-division USL Championship. It is being touted as a landmark achievement...
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
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...
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
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...
Naked Truth
EURO 2020 Shows That Even the Highest Levels Aren’t Exempt From Nightmare Soccer Moms
One of the surprise stories coming out from EURO 2020 is the report of the contentious behavior by Veronique Rabiot, the mother of France midfielder Adrien Rabiot, towards other...
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
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...
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
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
Why I Don’t Think The European Super League Did Anything Patently Wrong
On April 18, 2021 the football world's foundations shook as 12 of the most famous football clubs announced that they were breaking away from UEFA competitions in order to...
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...
