NWSL private equity rules, USMNT kit leaks, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Well, here we are in March. February is always a busy month for me, but I don’t think things will be slowing down very much this month. Plenty more soccer coming our way, plus I have to go see DUNE 2 at some point.
NWSL owners’ new private equity rules exclude sovereign wealth (Sportico)
The rules also place limits on the number of teams one equity funds can hold an interest in and the percentage of ownership a fund can hold. The league has issued some questionable new rules in this offseason, but I’m not mad at this one.
We may have gotten our first look at the 2024 USMNT kits.
2024 NWSL kits: some dope, some meh, and one fascist (BTVC)
André Carlisle brings us the definitive ranking of this year’s NWSL kits. (Although San Diego Wave is my number 1, and I think Reign’s a bit too boring to be so high.)
Paul Pogba’s four-year doping ban probably will end his career (Washington Post)
Currently 31, Pogba will have a difficult time making his way back onto the pitch at the end of his sentence. I’m not sure what I think about the fairness of this one. How about you all?D.C. Soccer Culture
Man United’s Ten Hag demands apology for Fulham’s Fernandes post (ESPN)
Fulham FC posted a TikTok video of Manchester United’s Bruno Hernandes “getting injured” in last Saturday’s match. The offending TikTok:
LA Galaxy’s Mark Delgado eligible after Independent Review Panel decision (MLS)
On a somewhat related note…
And finally, here’s your schedule for the weekend. Have a good one!
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
| D.C. United vs. Portland Timbers | Sat., March 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET | Providence Park | Apple TV |
Don’t forget to get your Fantasy Teams set up in MLS Fantasy. I’ve created an Open League for District Press that you can register for here: https://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/#classic/leagues/23976/join/C2SPKY72 . It will start this week. I’ve also created a head-to-head league that you can register for here: https://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/#classic/leagues/23978/join/HLLTDS9L . It also will start this week.
Can we go back to the single stripe homage to the 1950 WC kit? That would be great.
I actually really like the away shirt for the US. I just wished they leaned more into the design. The home shirt, however, is trying its best to rival the ~2019 DC away shirt for “who can get closest to being a Hanes Comfort Fit White T-Shirt”. DC still has the edge there, but yeesh.
I’ve never understood why, for a country that prides itself on and loves its color scheme as much as the US does, that plain white is our default home kit and the “red white and blue” is always our away kit.
I’m a fan of the away kit too. Speaking as a long-suffering fan, I wonder if there’s some sort of negative association with our away colors (usually darker) compared to our home colors (white, which I figure means we’re on home soil and win more). Pure tinfoil speculation.
Yeah, Ive never understood it. At least back in the “Waldo” kit days, the home kit was red and white and the away was blue, so we had everything covered. I feel like since then, though, its just been white.
I pretty much hate the Red/White/Blue color scheme on any other professional sports team in this country. It tends to just scream “we arent creative or unique,” and theres a TON of them. But at least for the US teams, it makes sense, and I figured they’d really want to lean into it. But I guess not
The away jersey would a make a cool France jersey too!
Men’s and Women’s 7s Rugby National Teams start play in their home tournament of the HSBC 7s Series this season. The tourney is held in LA this year. The Women’s team’s first game is at 9:20 PM ET in pool play as they take on Spain. The Men’s first game is at 11:44 PM ET in Pool B play as they take on Samoa in the last match for today.
You can track the matches and results here:
https://www.svns.com/en/fixtures-and-results/los-angeles/matches
Video coverage is on Peacock. I really hate that FloRugby has the streaming rights for most of if not all of the US Men’s XVs matches….
There’s rumors out there Inter Miami are keen to sign Modric.
You guys, I think we start just signing as many DP’s as we like, and when Garber objects, laugh long and hard in the fucker’s face.
Aren’t they already in violation of the roster and salary cap rules?
Of course they aren’t. And I’m sure the meeting that happened/is happening will make sure of that.
“I am sorry, Darth Garber is in a meeting and cannot come to the phone right now. Please leave a message after the tone…..”
DC United should also be keen to sign Modric. Both teams have terrible midfields.
Modric would be phenomenal… when he’s on the field. It’s a mistake to make a player his age foundational to your MLS team, his stamina and ability to stay healthy have to be questioned.
I’m assuming you’ll say “nonsense,” for some reason, but it’s clear he’s a very limited sub appearance, at best
They had interest in him a year or two ago, after the Ozil stuff “fell through.”
I have a lot of respect for Modric. But I think he’d be a bad fit for this team and what we appear to be moving to. Mackay has said he’s deliberately looking for younger players who are athletic.
The longest month of the year is over and now the old 2014 popsicle jersey is melting.
For those like me that don’t pay enough money for whatever streaming infrastructure is necessary for MLS / AppleTV games, regular old Fox is showing a game Saturday afternoon. A Miami game of course.
I’m a bit fearful that Messi mania is a boom and bust with a very short timeline.
On the USOC, an interesting line from Troy Lesesne–DCU definitely wanted to participate in the competition.
How is it remotely possible that we are not participating?