By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 15, 2019) US Soccer Players - No Major League Soccer club has teased its supporters more over the course of 23 seasons than the New England Revolution. One of the league’s original franchises, the Revs are a study in coming up just short with potential that never reached fruition. As far as identities go, it’s not a great one to own. It’s going to take a lot of . . .
Toronto and Cincinnati in the new era of MLS squad building
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 13, 2019) US Soccer Players - There’s plenty to pick from if you’re looking for something entertaining out of the Major League Soccer offseason. The kickoff to the 2019 campaign is less than a month away. The league’s chattering class has more than enough to talk about as clubs race to get their business done. It might take a deep interest in MLS to understand . . .
The stadium game continues in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 8, 2019) US Soccer Players - Time flies when you’re having fun. It also flies when you’re attempting to prepare for your first season as a Major League Soccer franchise. For both the freshly named Inter Miami and the future Nashville MLS club, there’s a lot to do and not much time to do it in. The business of putting a team together - hiring a coach, signing . . .
Has MLS redefined the Designated Player?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 6, 2019) US Soccer Players - While Atlanta United makes headlines across North America thanks to the record-breaking sale of Miguel Almiron and the signing of Pity Martinez, the rest of MLS contemplates a changing league and the future of Designated Player business. Not everyone can be Atlanta United, backed by the wealth and enthusiasm of owner Arthur Blank. . . .
Toronto FC moves on from Sebastian Giovinco
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Feb 1, 2019) US Soccer Players - The end of Sebastian Giovinco’s time with Toronto FC came with a suddenness that caught everyone by surprise. Whatever the factors that led to Giovinco's exit from the club he helped turn into an MLS juggernaut, the rapidity of his transfer to Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia comes as a shock just a few weeks into preparations for the 2019 . . .
The MLS regression rankings
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 30, 2019) US Soccer Players - MLS fans across the country are already checking their calendars. Teams are in training, running through their paces ahead of the 26th season of Major League Soccer. For some, the games start earlier than for others. Five sides will compete in the CONCACAF Champions League kicking off the third week of February. The rest of MLS gets . . .
Atlanta and the ceiling of allowable ambition in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 25, 2019) US Soccer Players - Thursday morning delivered the news that everyone knew was coming. Atlanta United, the defending MLS Cup champions and a club that has already rocked the foundations of Major League Soccer in just two years of existence, announced the signing of River Plate attacker Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez. We knew Martinez was coming because . . .
Sacramento upgrades its MLS expansion bid
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 23, 2019) US Soccer Players - It turns out Sacramento is not done yet in the race for an MLS expansion franchise. After years of working to convince the league that the country’s 20th largest media market was a good place for a new team, Sacramento is scrambling to remain in the competition for the 28th spot. The city’s bid, led by Sacramento Republic owner . . .
Columbus in 2019
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 18, 2019) US Soccer Players - The new year always arrives with new possibilities. Whatever the arbitrary nature of the calendar, society tunes to the start of January and the sense of promise it conveys. It’s easy to imagine things getting better when a fresh 12 months stretch out ahead of you. Even without a raft of resolutions, it’s a start of optimism. Every . . .
DC United faces expectations in 2019
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Jan 16, 2019) US Soccer Players - As encores go, 2019 figures to be a difficult one for DC United. The club didn’t lift the MLS Cup in 2018, but expectations will rise dramatically in the new year. United’s late-season run to the MLS Cup playoffs and the energy that it inspired in the newly opened Audi Field are tough acts to follow. This is a period of transition . . .
